Kevin Zeitler deserves credit for honesty after inking the largest free-agent contract for a guard in NFL history. MORE: NFL free agency tracker Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Zeitler told co-host Bill Polian and me the five-year, $60 million deal tendered by the Browns was why he spurned an offer from the Saints to leave the Bengals. “My agent actually kept things pretty quiet,” Zeitler said Thursday night while preparing to take an early-morning flight to Cleveland....

I was a five-sport athlete growing up in Lebanon, Pa., and knew I wanted to be a professional athlete all along. As a child, I watched and idolized legends like Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Frank Thomas and Donovan McNabb. MORE: NFL players’ favorite players | Why these free agents are unemployed My good fortune began when I was born to the strongest woman I know, my mother, who taught me humility, self-confidence and exemplified a gritty work ethic....

Washington benched the cratering Robert Griffin III for Colt McCoy, essentially giving up on Griffin two years after he won NFL Rookie of the Year. Griffin dislocated his ankle Week 2 and returned Week 9. He still looks lost in Jay Gruden’s offense, repeatedly holding the ball too long. He accounted for two touchdowns and five turnovers in a little over four games. McCoy has outperformed Griffin and Kirk Cousins....

The shortened preseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been blamed for a raft of injuries besetting teams over the first quarter of the season, while the NFL was forced into a major reshuffling of the schedule after several players tested positive for coronavirus. Here’s a breakdown of the biggest injury questions ahead of Week 6. Baker Mayfield The Cleveland Browns quarterback was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday as he continued to nurse a chest injury stemming from a shot to his ribs in the win against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5....

Based on the updated draft order, plus keeping in mind the structure of the current NFL playoff picture, here are the latest projections for the first-round picks in 2022, from 1-32: BIG BOARD: Ranking the top 100 prospects for 2022 NFL Draft NFL mock draft 2022 Detroit Lions Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon (6-5, 258 pounds) There will be some local push to go after Michigan superstar Aidan Hutchinson, a native of the state, but he’s a better fit in a 4-3 front as a defensive end....

According to the latest odds, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson are now the odds-on favorites to win the award, both of them surpassing Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers led betting lines during week 8 of the season, but has since dropped in the rankings. Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey also saw a huge decline in betting odds since week 8, in which he was in the top 3 for the favorite to win....

Meanwhile, the ripple effect of Antonio Brown’s official signing with New England has extended down to New York. Three things that matter Antonio Brown addition prompts Patriots trade In the wake of the receiver’s signing after his requested release from the Raiders, the Patriots reportedly traded fellow wideout Demaryius Thomas to the Jets for a 2021 sixth-round pick. Luckily for Thomas, who sat out Sunday as he continues to recover from a torn Achilles suffered last year, he has experience with coach Adam Gase after the two worked together in Denver....

After a divisional matchup between the Chiefs and Bills in the 2022 NFL playoffs once again put the NFL’s overtime rules front and center, with Kansas City taking the OT win, there was quite the debate among fans and analysts. With no guarantee that both teams will get an offensive possession in the extra period, some want to see the rules changed once again, while others are fine with the status quo....

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RENO – The Cowboys have a lot of problems. Quarterback Tony Romo’s return will not solve them all. Dallas is a 1-point favorite to beat the Dolphins in Miami on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX) with a game total of 46.5. Visit The Linemakers on Sporting News’ odds page for updated NFL lines. Week 11 previews: ‘Skins vs. Panthers | Packers vs. Vikings | Bengals vs. Cardinals One week the Cowboys are good, the next week they’re bad....

That starts with the Thursday Night Football matchup between 3-3 teams in the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos. Both teams are on losing streaks, and it’s never too early for a must-win situation. The loser could fall out of their division race sooner than expected. The early window features two other AFC matchups. The Chiefs visit the Titans, and the Bengals face the Ravens. Cincinnati is the surprise 4-2 team of the bunch, and this is Joe Burrow’s chance to beat another AFC North opponent on the road....

RENO – Teams on a bye need that mid-season break. It gives them a chance to recharge their mental batteries, heal their wounded bodies and get ready for the rest of the season with renewed vigor. Do you think any of that happened with the Lions? After the 90 year-old Martha Ford axed a good portion of the coaching staff following their latest loss, I doubt there are many folks in the Lions employ who have been resting and recharging the last two weeks....

There will be 11 games over the next five weeks over various TV networks to decide this year’s Super Bowl LIV champion. The big game will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, broadcast this season on Fox Here is the schedule for the Wild Card Weekend (All times ET): Saturday, January 4, 2020 Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans, 4:35 p.m. (ABC/ESPN) Tennessee Titans at New England Patriots, 8:15 p....

Cincinnati and Kansas City both went into Week 11 in postseason contention, but their wins over NFC foes New Orleans and Seattle, respectively, put them on firmer ground for Week 12 and beyond. MORE: Must-see Week 11 photos | NFC South worse than imagined | Josh Gordon sold car dealer on his character | New Super Bowl favorite An updated look at the current NFL playoff scenario: AFC (who would be in)...

The Texans, Seahawks, Steelers and Packers eliminated the Raiders, Lions, Dolphins and Giants, respectively, from the playoff picture during wild-card weekend. Those winners’ tests become a lot tougher this week. MORE: NFL playoffs predictions The AFC’s No. 1 overall seed in New England draws Houston, a team the Patriots dominated 27-0 in Week 3 this season. The NFC’s No. 1 seed in Dallas draws Green Bay, a team the Cowboys beat 30-16 in Week 6....

Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Chargers and the Las Vegas Raiders begin new eras with plenty of question marks, while the Denver Broncos hope to build on the optimism sparked by a strong end to last season. Here’s what to expect from the AFC West this time out. All odds are courtesy of DraftKings. Kansas City Chiefs The Chiefs return 20 of their 22 starters as they hope to become the first team in 15 years to win back-to-back Super Bowls....

Chicago won the division last season for the first time since 2010 behind first-year coach Matt Nagy and quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Despite a heartbreaking loss to the Eagles in the wild-card round of the playoffs, this team has playoff experience and will be in the mix with the other Super Bowl contenders. The Bears begin the NFL’s 100th year against the Packers in the Thursday night season-opener, a game that also will mark a new chapter in Green Bay with first-year coach Matt LaFleur....

The NFL saw two competing examples of the flag in Week 5, one of which got called and one of which didn’t. The one that was called came in the late moments of Buccaneers vs. Falcons. With the Falcons looking to get the ball back to put together one more drive, Grady Jarrett spun Tom Brady to the ground for what looked like a routine sack. Instead, the flag was thrown, and the Buccaneers bled the clock to zero....

The Week 6 schedule that existed in September is not the Week 6 schedule that will be played out this week. Nine teams are involved in some sort of schedule adjustment, due in large part to the Patriots-Broncos game being moved back from Week 5 to Week 6. This is probably only the beginning. As the Titans’ COVID-19 outbreak showed, one team’s misfortune could lead to a lot of schedule movement once again....