The 49ers and Bengals were sent packing Sunday, officially joining the rest of the league in preparing for the offseason. They are, however, in two different situations. GAMING SURVEY: Complete short survey for chance to win international football shirt of your choice! The 49ers are without a first-round draft pick, the last first-rounder of the Trey Lance trade package from 2021. They are also without their second-round pick, which was sent to the Panthers in exchange for running back Christian McCaffrey....

Like Lamar Jackson of Nebraska, Green will have his draft selection accompanied by references to his namesake. Bengals receiver A.J. Green, of course, has long been one of the most reliable pass-catchers in the league when healthy. The Oklahoma State defensive back brings potential in his own right, and he could eventually develop into an NFL starter. Such growth would make him a reasonably well-known name, even if he never approaches the heights of Cincinnati’s prolific wideout....

There are as many as six quarterbacks who will generate first-round buzz in the 2021 NFL Draft, and with no true NFL combine this year, teams are going to have to rely on guts and game tape before anything of the other wonky stuff, like interviews and weird drills. It’s been decades since as many as six signal callers were taken in the first round, with the famed quarterback class of 1983 making history for the amount taken: John Elway, Todd Blackledge, Jim Kelly, Tony Eason, Dan Marino and Ken O’Brien all selected....

“The Commissioner did not call him,” said league spokesman Brian McCarthy via email. MORE: Dolphins hope Arian Foster can be Reggie Bush OK, did anybody else call Wahlberg to tell them him couldn’t use real-life NFL players in the show? “We did not speak to him,” answered McCarthy. The mystery over the supposed call started Friday when Wahlberg told ESPN2’s “MIke & Mike” show that he received calls from “guys like Roger Goodell” not to use real-life NFL players in cameos during the show....

This is what happened to Gholston in 2013 because of his cousin Vernon, a 2008 first-round bust with the New York Jets. While not the only reason William Gholston slipped to the fourth round, concerns that Vernon’s failings could somehow be connected to his family name contributed to his tumble. Seriously. As I reported in 2013, the Jets were so wary of another Gholston flopping that William wasn’t even listed on their draft board....

The former Chargers offensive lineman signed a one-year deal with the Giants on Saturday, according to NFL.com. Further details on the contract have not yet been released. MORE: NFL free agency tracker: Signings, deals, updates Fluker, the No. 11 pick out of Alabama in the 2013 NFL Draft, struggled with consistency and mental errors in four seasons with the Chargers, not to mention several injuries, especially concussions. Now, he has one year to prove his worth with the Giants, which ranked 29th in rushing yards (1,416) in 2016....

Melton is already on his way for a visit, and makes more sense for Dallas, given they just lost a good, versatile pass-rushing tackle in Jason Hatcher to the NFC East archrival Washington Redskins. Although he's only an offseason removed from being tagged as the Bears' franchise player on the strength of a dominant Pro Bowl season in 2012, Melton is a calculated risk coming off a knee injury (torn ACL) that ended his 2013 season after only three games....

Below, we’ll highlight each division’s odds-on favorite and an intriguing sleeper who might end up having a better-than-expected 2022-23 campaign. As usual, these odds will fluctuate as the preseason and regular season progress. MORE NFL FUTURES: MVP | ROYs | AFC, NFC, Super Bowl AFC North odds: Favorite, sleeper to win division All odds courtesy of Vegas Insider Favorite: Cincinnati Bengals +200 The 2022 AFC North divisional odds pose a three-way-tie for the division favorite between the Bengals, Ravens, and Browns....

T.J. Yeldon and Tyler Eifert haven’t shown improvement with their respective injuries, and Julian Edelman might have to wait one more week for his highly anticipated comeback. Meanwhile, Greg Olsen and C.J. Anderson are expected to take the field without any issues. MORE: Best photos from Week 15 | Best rushing quarterbacks Here are the five most impactful injuries heading into Week 15: Julian Edelman New England lost a valuable weapon last week in running back LeGarrette Blount, and the team’s hopes of getting a little bit of firepower back with the return of Julian Edelman appear to be on hold....

The letter, which contains some of the same information in a public league statement, explains that the NFL not only reviewed allegations of domestic violence levied against Elliott, but also his St. Patrick’s Day incident — in which he exposed a woman’s breasts — in determining the severity of his suspension. A source close to the investigation provided the letter to Sporting News’ Alex Marvez. MORE: NFL fans unhappy with league’s decision...

The Raiders have three picks among the first 32 to use in their rebuilding process under coach Jon Gruden. The Packers also are sitting on a pair of first-round picks. Here’s an early look at the picks teams should be pondering for April, with the order based on a combination of reverse Super Bowl 53 odds and Sporting News’ projected rankings. NFL Mock Draft 2019 Oakland Raiders: Ed Oliver, DT, Houston The Raiders will decide between Oliver and Nick Bosa, assuming they don’t part ways with Derek Carr for 2019....

Alabama, and LSU. The Tigers are coming off one of the greatest seasons in college football history, and the number of draft-eligible players would sure seem to indicate that. Quarterback Joe Burrow is considered a lock for No. 1 overall after one of the best statistical seasons of all time, but he surely won’t be the last Tiger selected in the draft. MORE: Full seven-round NFL mock draft Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer projects an absurd 16 (!...

With most of the teams in the league knowing by now they are not going to the playoffs, they already can look ahead to 2020. The top draft prospects are about to play their final college games, too, before they go pro. NFL DRAFT ODDS:Burrow bound for Cincinnati at No. 1 overall? Without further ado, with four months out, here’s how we see the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft playing out....

It’s not exactly clear what the owners have proposed in recent collective bargaining agreement talks, but according to ESPN, which cited unidentified sources familiar with the negotiations, one person called the suggested changes “Draconian.” The harsher penalties could include increased fine amounts or adding contract language that would allow franchises to void or amend contracts on players who hold out, the report notes. As it currently stands, holdouts can be fined up to $40,000 for each day of training camp missed....

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Baltimore and Miami just missed the postseason in 2021. Now, they meet in Week 2 in what should be one of the best games of the week. Lamar Jackson could get JK Dobbins back, and Tua Tagovailoa has improved with the help of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. That game might not have the hype of the Thursday Night Football showdown between the Chiefs and Chargers, but it will be just as entertaining from a scoring standpoint....

Having trouble with your picks and predictions? We’ve got all of the latest odds, lines and analysis for Week 15 from our experts. Here are some of the key games we’re watching. MORE: Week 15 picks against the spread | Expert picks straight up | Week 15 odds, lines Panthers at Giants pick against the spread Perfection Challenge of the Week: Another late-season visit to the Meadowlands by an undefeated team — like a certain team in 2007 — when the 15-0 Patriots closed the season out at old Giants Stadium....

In the NFC, Green Bay still has a good chance to reach the postseason even though its probability has dropped more than 20 percent from last week. Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia is also predicted to get to the playoffs. AccuScore has used data from the first eight weeks of the 2018 season and simulated every remaining game. Updated playoff chances are below. WEEK 9 NFL PICKS:Against the spread | Straight up...