Category: Football

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The deadline for NFL teams to pick up fifth-year options on the rookie contracts of 2023 first-round draft picks is May 1.

Teams have to decide whether to keep the 31 players below for a fifth season. If the team declines the option, 2026 will be the last season on the rookie contract, making the player a free agent in 2027. If the option is picked up, the player remains under contract for 2027.

We are tracking the entire 2023 class — which had only 31 picks after the Miami Dolphins were stripped of their first-round selection for

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The NFL has announced dates for offseason workout programs for the 2026 league year.

Offseason programs are conducted in three phases: Phase One for meetings, strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation, Phase Two for individual and group drills, and Phase Three for organized team practice activity — commonly referred to as OTAs.

Contact is not permitted in Phases Two and Three, but teams are allowed to run 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills during OTAs.

Voluntary veteran minicamps can be held by teams with new coaches — this year, 10 teams will hold one before the 2026 NFL draft (April 23-25; ESPN,

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Matt Miller

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Matt Miller

NFL draft analystMatt Miller is an NFL draft analyst for ESPN, providing in-depth scouting on the nation’s top pro prospects. A Missouri native, Matt joined ESPN in 2021 and also contributes to SportsCenter, NFL Live and ESPN Radio. Prior to joining ESPN, Matt spent 11 years as a senior draft analyst at Bleacher Report. and 

Field Yates

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Field Yates

ESPN NFL InsiderField Yates is a fantasy football expert and NFL draft analyst for ESPN. You can find him on Fantasy Football Now on Sunday mornings and regularly on NFL Live throughout the week, as well as the Fantasy Focus and First Draft

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Matt MillerApr 3, 2026, 06:00 AM ET

CloseMatt Miller is an NFL draft analyst for ESPN, providing in-depth scouting on the nation’s top pro prospects. A Missouri native, Matt joined ESPN in 2021 and also contributes to SportsCenter, NFL Live and ESPN Radio. Prior to joining ESPN, Matt spent 11 years as a senior draft analyst at Bleacher Report.Open Extended Reactions

The first round of the 2026 NFL draft will see 32 players selected. But how many of those players have true first-round grades?

There’s a difference between going in Round 1 and being graded in Round 1. Now that we’re less than

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Ryan McFaddenApr 3, 2026, 06:00 AM ET

CloseRyan McFadden covers the Las Vegas Raiders for ESPN’s NFL Nation. Prior to ESPN, McFadden was a Denver Broncos beat reporter for the Denver Post. McFadden also wrote about the Baltimore Ravens and University of Maryland athletics for The Baltimore Sun.Open Extended Reactions

PHOENIX — There’s no secret that Las Vegas Raiders‘ general manager John Spytek has a strong appreciation for linemen. And that affinity was noticeable when Las Vegas signed center Tyler Linderbaum to a three-year deal worth $81 million, with $60 million fully guaranteed, making the 25-year-old the highest-paid

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Jake TrotterApr 3, 2026, 06:35 AM ET

CloseJake Trotter is a senior writer at ESPN. Trotter covers college football. He also writes about other college sports, including men’s and women’s basketball. Trotter resides in the Cleveland area with his wife and three kids and is a fan of his hometown Oklahoma City Thunder. He covered the Cleveland Browns and NFL for ESPN for five years, moving back to college football in 2024. Previously, Trotter worked for the Middletown (Ohio) Journal, Austin American-Statesman and Oklahoman newspapers before joining ESPN in 2011. He’s a 2004 graduate of Washington and Lee University. You can

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In an effort to support the emerging growth of flag football, the Kansas City Chiefs revealed an advertising campaign called “Let Her Play” on Thursday in hopes of persuading the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) to make girls’ flag football a sanctioned sport in the state.

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In a 55-second video, the Chiefs showcased several girls who already play the sport. The Chiefs then highlighted girls in Kansas who can only dream of representing their school by playing organized flag football. The Chiefs, who have won three Super Bowls in

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Apr 2, 2026, 04:00 PM ETOpen Extended Reactions

Two-time All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore announced his retirement from the NFL on Thursday.

I have had an incredible 13 years in the League, and I cannot wait to see what this next chapter holds,” Gilmore, 35, wrote in a post to Instagram.

Gilmore was selected a first-team All-Pro in both 2018 and 2019 while playing for the New England Patriots. He also was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 when he led the NFL with six interceptions and 20 passes defended.

A first-round pick out of South Carolina by the

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Apr 2, 2026, 01:45 PM ETOpen Extended Reactions

Linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. announced his retirement Thursday after nine NFL seasons.

“Thank you football for 26 years of blood, sweat and tears,” Walker, 30, wrote in a statement posted to Instagram.

Walker, who was a fifth-round draft pick by the Indianapolis Colts in 2017, made more than 100 tackles in a season three times in his career.

He appeared in two regular-season games last season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who signed him off the Colts’ practice squad in December.

He retires with 581 tackles, 5.5 sacks and four interceptions

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