That makes this an ideal time to both update and expand Sporting News’ overall prospect rankings. Along with the new pecking order are fresh positional rankings. Here’s diving into the look at the top 150 players available on the “big board” according to SN and what they have the potential to bring to their new, pro teams: NFL Draft prospects 2022: Big board of top 150 players 1. Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan (6-6, 260 pounds) He’s a technically sound and exceptionally strong prospect built to play 4-3 end and would benefit from improving his agility and expanding his pass-rush moves....

That means while eight teams will go on the clock twice for now on the night of April 28, just as many teams don’t have a selection. Given all the movement before mid April, don’t expect that to remain status quo up and down the board. For a team to use assets to trade up, it must target a particular player of great value, either early or late. For a team to slide down, it is more interested in having a better combination of quality and quantity....

The Bengals were flagged for an illegal celebration following a Jesse Bates end zone interception in the second quarter of Super Bowl 56. With the NFL generally lax about penalizing celebrations nowadays, the flag raised eyebrows. SUPER BOWL 56: Live updates, highlights There was a reason for it: NFL rules indicate that non-uniformed players may not partake in on-field celebrations. Hargreaves, a Bengals defensive back who was inactive for the game, decided to leave the bench and join his teammates in the celebration....

With 11:43 left in overtime between Washington and Cincinnati at Wembley Stadium, FOX announcer Kenny Albert informed the national audience that, except in the two teams’ markets, the network would cut away to the start of the 1 p.m. ET games. And at the top of the hour, they did just that, with studio host Curt Menefee delivering the news that he clearly knew the audience didn’t want to hear....

The cornerback was released earlier this week following his shoddy performance for the Texans in their loss to the Saints in Week 1 but has agreed to a deal with Washington, the Redskins announced Friday. Colvin, a sixth-year veteran, allowed eight receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown in coverage on nine targets against New Orleans on Monday — according to NFL Research — as Drew Brees led New Orleans to a comeback victory....

The free-agent running back revealed Monday that he suffered a broken leg two weeks ago and underwent surgery to repair the injury. Collins spent last season with the Ravens and was expected to sign with a new team before the start of the regular season, though he expressed he won’t let the setback keep him off the field. “I refuse to be discouraged,” Collins wrote Monday on Instagram. “Instead, I have faith and am optimistic about the process....

According to NFL.com, Smith is set to visit the Seahawks on Wednesday, a sign “clear interest,” but there have been no contract talks. The Seahawks would become Smith’s fourth team in four seasons. He spent 2018 with the Chargers, throwing only four passes (one completion) in five regular-season appearances. He would join a Seahawks team that is set at its No. 1, with Pro Bowl QB Russell Wilson, but lists as backups only Paxton Lynch, who didn’t play in the NFL in 2018 after being waived by the Broncos before the season, and recently signed undrafted free agent Taryn Christion out of South Dakota State....

Penalties marred the game so much that Troy Aikman, an NFL Hall of Fame quarterback and color analyst for the Fox Game of the Week on Sundays, bashed officials for some calls that seemed “petty.” Aikman, who quarterbacked the Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories in the 1990s and countless battles against the NFC East rival Giants, tweeted Monday night during the fourth quarter that so many penalties will lead to the loss of viewers....

While speaking with the Fort Worth Star Telegram, Irvin, a former Cowboy, was asked about the team’s COVID-19 vaccination rate, following reports they are one of the few teams below the 85 percent threshold for player vaccinations. “It should upset them,” Irvin told the Star Telegram regarding the Cowboys player vaccination rate. “It should upset them. Dude, you’re not thinking right. I don’t give a damn. Nothing else can be more important....

The games may not count yet, but they will provide opportunities for young players to get NFL experience. Notably, fans will be watching a strong crop of rookie quarterbacks — headlined by Trevor Lawrence — make their debuts. Top free-agent signings will draw attention as well, however little action those players may see. Whatever they’re watching for, fans will be tuned in, especially because the preseason now lasts just three full weeks instead of the previous four....

Picks that are being underrated by the public can yield weekly gains that make the difference between winning and losing a season-long NFL pool, while smart upset picks can drive success in weekly pools. TeamRankings is the only site that provides customized picks that maximize your edge in NFL pick ’em pools. Check out TeamRankings’ Football Pick ’em Picks, NFL Survivor Picks, and NFL Betting Picks. TeamRankings also have Bowl Pick ’em picks if you are in a college football bowl pool....

There’s more information and data points available for all 32 teams as many of them forge their true identities for the 2021 season. Some, however, still remain difficult to read because of injuries and other variables. The only thing we can do is try to use everything more to our advantage to make better game choices against the number as the action progresses. Here’s hoping Week 5 will give us the desired results again from the process:...

The Giants (5-1) have thrived in the underdog role under first-year coach Brian Daboll. New York is 4-0 ATS as an underdog, and they have been trailing or tied heading into the fourth quarter in all but one of those games. Despite that success, New York is an underdog heading to Jacksonville this weekend. They are not the only fun story in the Big Apple. The Jets (4-2) have a chance to win four straight games under second-year coach Robert Saleh....

The Patriots and Panthers headline this week’s matchups and each team faces a worthy opponent. New England hosts the Jets in a divisional showdown while Carolina is home for a matchup with the Eagles. MORE: NFL’s best 25 under 25 | Seahawks intoxicated by Marshawn-Lynch product The Jets (4-1) are on a two-game winning streak and rank first in the league in total defense and second in rushing and passing defense....

The NFC East is still up for grabs between three teams. Two squads can still claim the AFC South. Only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have secured a wild card spot so far in this expanded postseason of 14 teams, seven from each conference. To help you make sense of all the madness, we’ve got all the NFL playoff elimination scenarios for Week 17. Just as some teams have “win-and-in” outlooks for Week 17, some teams have “lose-and-out” scenarios....

So the Patriots, Raiders, Chiefs and Dolphins might be in totally different seeds by the time Week 17 ends. PLAYOFF PICTURE: NFC scenarios Just ask New England how valuable the No. 1 overall seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs can be — the Patriots lost in Denver in last year’s AFC title game. That’s why the Patriots have plenty for which to play against the Dolphins, who wouldn’t mind jumping up to the No....

Here’s breaking down where they could end up after they beat the Panthers in Week 17 NFL PLAYOFF PICTURE:All clinching scenarios for Week 17 How Saints get No. 2 seed in NFC The Saints can’t finish higher than the No. 2 seed because the Packers, who also finished 13-3, hold the conference-record tiebreaker over them. If the Seahawks beat the 49ers to win the NFC West, then the Saints would be behind the Packers but a full game ahead of the Seahawks, whom they also beat....

MORE: Week 11 NFL picks against the spread | Picks straight up | Who can spoil it for the Patriots? AFC Who would be in Patriots (9-0). The AFC East leaders have some breathing room for the top seed and home-field advantage thanks to the close shave against the Giants, as well as the Bengals and Broncos both stumbling. It’s hard to see a loss in their remaining slate. Schedule: vs....

The 49ers finished with the NFC’s best record as NFC West champions in 2019. They used that bye and home-field advantage to advance all the way to Super Bowl 54 against the Chiefs. Going into the finale of the 2022 NFL regular season, the 49ers (12-4) are No. 2 in the NFC. The Eagles (13-3) are still No. 1, while the Vikings (12-4) fell to No. 3. San Francisco is in a strong position because of a 9-2 conference record....