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This Week in NFL News by Sigmund Bloom
AFC
Baltimore - The Ravens signed TE Owen Daniels.
Why It Matters - Daniels was a big part of offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak's offense in Houston, so his presence will take some of the edge off of Dennis Pitta's upside, but Daniels is unlikely to have value himself unless Pitta goes down again this year. The Ravens will likely lean on two tight end sets in the wake of this move, which means Jacoby Jones and second-year UDFA wonder Marlon Brown will have to fight for table scraps. Joe Flacco should also be helped by the presence of a veteran who knows the system in and out.
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Buffalo - The Bills acquired WR Mike Williams from Tampa Bay for a sixth-round pick.
Why It Matters - Bills head coach Doug Marrone was Williams' coach in college at Syracuse, just down the Thruway from Buffalo, but Williams ended his career off of the team. Marrone recently spoke highly of Williams despite their history, and it probably drove this deal. Williams looked like a rising star after signing a six-year, 40+ million dollar extension last year, but off the field issues and a season-ending injury sent his career into a tailspin. He is not a lock to make the Bills, but if he does, he'll be a late-round flier who could hurt the upside of Stevie Johnson and development of 2013 second-round pick Robert Woods, but give QB EJ Manuel an excellent downfield jumpball threat.
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Cincinnati - Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson mentioned the "threat of running the ball" and "being a physical unit" as a must for the Cincinnati offense this season.
Why It Matters - 2013 second-round pick GIovani Bernard should have ample opportunity to break out, but the Bengals will also heavily ride a power back, whether its Benjarvus Green-Ellis, a draft pick like Ohio State's Carlos Hyde, or even 2013 sixth-round pick Rex Burkhead. Andy Dalton won't come close to reproducing his 2013 numbers in a more balanced offense.
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Cleveland- The Jacksonville Jaguars signed Cleveland's transition tag player, C Alex Mack, to a five-year offer sheet.
Why It Matters - Mack is a highly coveted center who is set to get 42 million dollars over a five-year deal, with 18 million guaranteed in the first two seasons. He set to make about ten million this year as a transition tag offensive lineman before Jacksonville moved in to try to secure his services. Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that his source said Cleveland will match the offer. Both of these teams are going to draft a quarterback of the future this year, so the presence of Mack will be crucial to provide stability to the youngster's offensive line.
________________________________________
Houston - The Texans signed RB Andre Brown.
Why It Matters - Now we have our handcuff for Arian Foster, who downplayed the severity of his back surgery this week. Brown has been one of the least durable backs in the league, but he has some relevance in leagues now. If Foster misses significant time again, we could be sifting through some unlikely names in Houston's backfield, just as we did at the end of 2013.
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Indianapolis - WR Reggie Wayne said this week that he is "way ahead of schedule" and expects to be cleared for football activities April 25, in addition to being ready for training camp in July.
Why It Matters - The Colts look to have a dynamic pass offense assembling around third-year wunderkind Andrew Luck. A healthy Wayne would join TY Hilton and free agent pickup Hakeem Nicks in killer three-wide sets, while the return of Dwayne Allen gives the team two tight-end punch with Coby Fleener. Wayne, Hilton, and Nicks might keep each other from giving the Colts a top 20 fantasy wide receiver while still powering Luck to a top three quarterback finish.
________________________________________
Kansas City - ESPN Chiefs beat writer Adam Teicher wrote that second-year TE Travis Kelce will be the team's "receiver at tight end" and an "important piece of their passing game".
Why It Matters - It's just offseason coachspeak, but Kelce deserves your attention as a sleeper tight end for fantasy drafts this year. He had Gronkowski-esque moments at Cincinnati, and the Chiefs sorely need a strong third receiving option to go along with Jamaal Charles and Dwayne Bowe.
________________________________________
New York Jets - New York Daily news beat writer Manish Mehta tweeted that the Jets "really like" the potential of a Chris Ivory-Chris Johnson backfield, and that they have no concerns about Johnson's work ethic.
Why It Matters - Johnson is probably going to sit on the open market for a while because no team is going to pay him like a starter. No team even has a starting job to offer him at this moment. Johnson does make sense for the Jets offensive blueprint, and he would be a great contrast to Chris Ivory's hard-charging style. This pairing makes sense, but we may not see Johnson get into serious negotiations with any team for weeks, if not months.
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NFC
Carolina - The Panthers signed WR Jason Avant and TE Ed Dickson.
Why It Matters - Well, it doesn't really, but that's the point. The Panthers have make underwhelming moves at every turn to address an anemic passing game that lost its top four receivers in free agency.
________________________________________
Carolina - RB DeAngelo Williams said "I don't know where we go from there" in reference to the team losing their top four receivers in free agency. He also expressed concern about facing 8 or 9 in the box and QB Cam Newton being sidelined by ankle surgery instead being able to build chemistry with his new receivers.
Why It Matters - Another symptom of the desert around Cam Newton in Carolina's offense this year. Williams is right to worry about the running game, making both he and Jonathan Stewart mostly afterthoughts. Newton is also hard to buy as a top 5 quarterback despite finishes in that echelon every year of his career.
________________________________________
Detroit - RB Reggie Bush said he is comfortable with a change in his and Joique Bell's workload in the Lions' backfield this season.
Why It Matters- The Lions were moving towards an even split in the backfield as last season went on, and the money given to Joique Bell indicates that they will continue in that direction this year. Both Bell and Bush caught over 50 balls last year, and there is room for both to be solid RB2/Flex level plays in PPR leagues again this year, with RB1 upside when the other misses time.
________________________________________
Detroit - Detroit Free Press beat writer Dave Birkett reports that there is a "growing sense in league circles" that the Lions are willing to trade up for Clemson WR Sammy Watkins.
Why It Matters - Some may think this doesn't make sense after the signing of Golden Tate, but the interest by the Lions is genuine, and it would be a play to give Matthew Stafford a set of weapons that defenses would struggle to contain. The trade would likely have to be into the top five, costing the Lions at least their second-round pick, but it is not out of the question. Tate's dynasty value leap could be submarined by a trade up for Watkins or the Lions taking Mike Evans if he falls to #10, not to mention any number of quality prospects who could be there in second or third round in a deep wide receiver class.
________________________________________
New York Giants - QB Eli Manning will miss at least six weeks after undergoing ankle surgery.
Why It Matters - This won't help the effort of new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo to install his offensive scheme. Manning has dropped off of the fantasy radar, and this hitch in his offseason won't help matters. Manning is likely to go undrafted in most leagues this year.
________________________________________
San Francisco - Head coach Jim Harbaugh hinted that the 49ers will run more three-wide receiver sets this season.
Why It Matters - Colin Kaepernick was coming on as a passer at times after Michael Crabtree returned, and the 49ers interest in wide receivers in free agency could portend a high draft pick from the deep wide receiver class to supplement the passing game. The team has been talking to Brandon Lloyd about a return, too. The offense could be featuring fewer two tight end sets this season, which would help Kaepernick's fantasy value.
________________________________________
San Francisco - 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and two other players are under investigation by Miami Police for their role in a "suspicious incident".
Why It Matters - We can't jump to any conclusions, and no charges have been filed, but we'll be monitoring this to see if it takes an ominous turn. 49ers receiver Quinton Patton and Seahawks receiver Ricardo Lockette were also involved in the investigation, which involved a woman was in Lockette's apartment and later woke up in a hospital with no recollection of how she got there.
________________________________________
Tampa Bay - The Buccaneers traded WR Mike Williams to the Bills for a sixth-round pick.
Why It Matters - Like their divisionmate Carolina, the Buccaneers now have some very obscure names in key positions at wide receiver, leaving them with little choice but to target the position early in the draft. Chris Owusu or Louis Murphy would be the first candidates to start opposite Vincent Jackson, with free agent pickup tight end Brandon Myers having a chance to be relevant in fantasy leagues again.
This Week in NFL News by Sigmund Bloom
AFC
Baltimore - The Ravens signed TE Owen Daniels.
Why It Matters - Daniels was a big part of offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak's offense in Houston, so his presence will take some of the edge off of Dennis Pitta's upside, but Daniels is unlikely to have value himself unless Pitta goes down again this year. The Ravens will likely lean on two tight end sets in the wake of this move, which means Jacoby Jones and second-year UDFA wonder Marlon Brown will have to fight for table scraps. Joe Flacco should also be helped by the presence of a veteran who knows the system in and out.
________________________________________
Buffalo - The Bills acquired WR Mike Williams from Tampa Bay for a sixth-round pick.
Why It Matters - Bills head coach Doug Marrone was Williams' coach in college at Syracuse, just down the Thruway from Buffalo, but Williams ended his career off of the team. Marrone recently spoke highly of Williams despite their history, and it probably drove this deal. Williams looked like a rising star after signing a six-year, 40+ million dollar extension last year, but off the field issues and a season-ending injury sent his career into a tailspin. He is not a lock to make the Bills, but if he does, he'll be a late-round flier who could hurt the upside of Stevie Johnson and development of 2013 second-round pick Robert Woods, but give QB EJ Manuel an excellent downfield jumpball threat.
________________________________________
Cincinnati - Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson mentioned the "threat of running the ball" and "being a physical unit" as a must for the Cincinnati offense this season.
Why It Matters - 2013 second-round pick GIovani Bernard should have ample opportunity to break out, but the Bengals will also heavily ride a power back, whether its Benjarvus Green-Ellis, a draft pick like Ohio State's Carlos Hyde, or even 2013 sixth-round pick Rex Burkhead. Andy Dalton won't come close to reproducing his 2013 numbers in a more balanced offense.
________________________________________
Cleveland- The Jacksonville Jaguars signed Cleveland's transition tag player, C Alex Mack, to a five-year offer sheet.
Why It Matters - Mack is a highly coveted center who is set to get 42 million dollars over a five-year deal, with 18 million guaranteed in the first two seasons. He set to make about ten million this year as a transition tag offensive lineman before Jacksonville moved in to try to secure his services. Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that his source said Cleveland will match the offer. Both of these teams are going to draft a quarterback of the future this year, so the presence of Mack will be crucial to provide stability to the youngster's offensive line.
________________________________________
Houston - The Texans signed RB Andre Brown.
Why It Matters - Now we have our handcuff for Arian Foster, who downplayed the severity of his back surgery this week. Brown has been one of the least durable backs in the league, but he has some relevance in leagues now. If Foster misses significant time again, we could be sifting through some unlikely names in Houston's backfield, just as we did at the end of 2013.
________________________________________
Indianapolis - WR Reggie Wayne said this week that he is "way ahead of schedule" and expects to be cleared for football activities April 25, in addition to being ready for training camp in July.
Why It Matters - The Colts look to have a dynamic pass offense assembling around third-year wunderkind Andrew Luck. A healthy Wayne would join TY Hilton and free agent pickup Hakeem Nicks in killer three-wide sets, while the return of Dwayne Allen gives the team two tight-end punch with Coby Fleener. Wayne, Hilton, and Nicks might keep each other from giving the Colts a top 20 fantasy wide receiver while still powering Luck to a top three quarterback finish.
________________________________________
Kansas City - ESPN Chiefs beat writer Adam Teicher wrote that second-year TE Travis Kelce will be the team's "receiver at tight end" and an "important piece of their passing game".
Why It Matters - It's just offseason coachspeak, but Kelce deserves your attention as a sleeper tight end for fantasy drafts this year. He had Gronkowski-esque moments at Cincinnati, and the Chiefs sorely need a strong third receiving option to go along with Jamaal Charles and Dwayne Bowe.
________________________________________
New York Jets - New York Daily news beat writer Manish Mehta tweeted that the Jets "really like" the potential of a Chris Ivory-Chris Johnson backfield, and that they have no concerns about Johnson's work ethic.
Why It Matters - Johnson is probably going to sit on the open market for a while because no team is going to pay him like a starter. No team even has a starting job to offer him at this moment. Johnson does make sense for the Jets offensive blueprint, and he would be a great contrast to Chris Ivory's hard-charging style. This pairing makes sense, but we may not see Johnson get into serious negotiations with any team for weeks, if not months.
________________________________________
NFC
Carolina - The Panthers signed WR Jason Avant and TE Ed Dickson.
Why It Matters - Well, it doesn't really, but that's the point. The Panthers have make underwhelming moves at every turn to address an anemic passing game that lost its top four receivers in free agency.
________________________________________
Carolina - RB DeAngelo Williams said "I don't know where we go from there" in reference to the team losing their top four receivers in free agency. He also expressed concern about facing 8 or 9 in the box and QB Cam Newton being sidelined by ankle surgery instead being able to build chemistry with his new receivers.
Why It Matters - Another symptom of the desert around Cam Newton in Carolina's offense this year. Williams is right to worry about the running game, making both he and Jonathan Stewart mostly afterthoughts. Newton is also hard to buy as a top 5 quarterback despite finishes in that echelon every year of his career.
________________________________________
Detroit - RB Reggie Bush said he is comfortable with a change in his and Joique Bell's workload in the Lions' backfield this season.
Why It Matters- The Lions were moving towards an even split in the backfield as last season went on, and the money given to Joique Bell indicates that they will continue in that direction this year. Both Bell and Bush caught over 50 balls last year, and there is room for both to be solid RB2/Flex level plays in PPR leagues again this year, with RB1 upside when the other misses time.
________________________________________
Detroit - Detroit Free Press beat writer Dave Birkett reports that there is a "growing sense in league circles" that the Lions are willing to trade up for Clemson WR Sammy Watkins.
Why It Matters - Some may think this doesn't make sense after the signing of Golden Tate, but the interest by the Lions is genuine, and it would be a play to give Matthew Stafford a set of weapons that defenses would struggle to contain. The trade would likely have to be into the top five, costing the Lions at least their second-round pick, but it is not out of the question. Tate's dynasty value leap could be submarined by a trade up for Watkins or the Lions taking Mike Evans if he falls to #10, not to mention any number of quality prospects who could be there in second or third round in a deep wide receiver class.
________________________________________
New York Giants - QB Eli Manning will miss at least six weeks after undergoing ankle surgery.
Why It Matters - This won't help the effort of new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo to install his offensive scheme. Manning has dropped off of the fantasy radar, and this hitch in his offseason won't help matters. Manning is likely to go undrafted in most leagues this year.
________________________________________
San Francisco - Head coach Jim Harbaugh hinted that the 49ers will run more three-wide receiver sets this season.
Why It Matters - Colin Kaepernick was coming on as a passer at times after Michael Crabtree returned, and the 49ers interest in wide receivers in free agency could portend a high draft pick from the deep wide receiver class to supplement the passing game. The team has been talking to Brandon Lloyd about a return, too. The offense could be featuring fewer two tight end sets this season, which would help Kaepernick's fantasy value.
________________________________________
San Francisco - 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and two other players are under investigation by Miami Police for their role in a "suspicious incident".
Why It Matters - We can't jump to any conclusions, and no charges have been filed, but we'll be monitoring this to see if it takes an ominous turn. 49ers receiver Quinton Patton and Seahawks receiver Ricardo Lockette were also involved in the investigation, which involved a woman was in Lockette's apartment and later woke up in a hospital with no recollection of how she got there.
________________________________________
Tampa Bay - The Buccaneers traded WR Mike Williams to the Bills for a sixth-round pick.
Why It Matters - Like their divisionmate Carolina, the Buccaneers now have some very obscure names in key positions at wide receiver, leaving them with little choice but to target the position early in the draft. Chris Owusu or Louis Murphy would be the first candidates to start opposite Vincent Jackson, with free agent pickup tight end Brandon Myers having a chance to be relevant in fantasy leagues again.
