The Bengals hold the first overall selection in the draft after finishing with an NFL-worst 2-14 record last season, and bar a major plot twist, the man who set college football alight last season will be the first name off the board. Last season, Burrow became the first player in SEC history to throw for at least 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns in the same season and setting a new school and conference record with 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns....

Also in this NFL draft roundup, an update on the 49ers’ quarterback situation for the future, who the Lions might take in Round 1, buzz on the top running backs in the class, a defensive lineman with substantial character concerns and much more. MORE: Latest Mock Draft for 2017 NFL draft: quarterback discussion With six junior quarterbacks having declared for the 2017 NFL Draft, the most ever, NFL teams won’t be passing on the position altogether, but many may be more patient than in recent years....

Adams, listed by some as an outside linebacker and by others as a defensive end, is set for a private workout with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday, a source tells Sporting News. MORE: NFL Mock Draft 2017 Adams’ recent workouts, coupled with his production and explosives on tape, have generated a good amount of buzz among NFL teams. He reportedly met with the San Francisco 49ers a couple weeks back....

The money is huge, and the cost of falling in the draft for a player can be big. Here’s a look at some of the main financials you need to know for the NFL Draft, if and when players slip. — Striking gold at the top Being the top pick in the NFL Draft not only gives a player bragging rights, but it brings him massive financial gains. The top pick this year will be in line to receive a fully-guaranteed contract worth $30....

The NFL team unveiled its new name Wednesday, replacing the two-year placeholder, the Washington Football Team. Along with the new name came new uniforms and a different logo for the team. MORE: What is Washington Football Team’s new name? The new name was certainly not unexpected. While there were a number of different finalists, major spoilers were dropped along the way, including the transition of the URL, commanders.com, to the company that is the domain holder for most of the NFL teams’ websites....

The meaning of the franchise tag (and the transition tag) is just that: It’s a mechanism teams are allowed to use to keep “franchise” designated players off the unrestricted free-agency market. Given the franchise tag is a tool used by teams to lock players into one-year deals to table long-term extensions with more up-front money, most players don’t like being tagged. But the positive for the tagged players is those one-year deals are fully guaranteed and the salaries represent the average of the top five highest-paid players at their positions (if not more)....

From the frantic first wave of the open market through the latest signings and trades, Sporting News got superlative to grade the best and worst moves by position. MORE: Grades for all notable free agency deals Quarterbacks Best deal: Buccaneers sign Tom Brady (2 years, $50 million) The Titans kept Ryan Tannehill, the Colts went with Philip Rivers and the Panthers added Teddy Bridgewater. The stars aligned for “TB to TB,” as the GOAT QB and Tampa Bay quickly developed into a great personnel, coaching and philosophical fit....

Day 2 of free agency fell short of heightened expectations — had an impossible act to follow — but things picked up with a stirring past 48 hours. Below we examine the most fantasy-revelant team changes that occurred over the latter stages of this week. MORE FANTASY: Murray to Eagles | Graham to Seahawks | Thomas to Jaguars Darren McFadden to Cowboys It’s hard to get too crazy about a rusher who hasn’t topped 1,000 yards sinced 2010 or 3....

No fewer than five significant figures have gotten into trouble with the law this offseason, with transgressions serious enough for Roger Goodell to consider major disciplinary action under the personal conduct policy. That includes Colts owner Jim Irsay, who has a high-powered microscope on his case as players and the public watch Goodell for signs of a double standard. PHOTOS: Players arrested in 2014 | Disgraced athletes So far, however, there has been no standard to judge any of them, even though some of the offenses took place last season....

Also of note: The Giants lost to the Jets in Week 10 and the Jets won again in Week 11 while the Giants had a bye. That means New York’s NFC team for will have a higher pick in the 2020 NFL Draft than New York’s AFC team. Both teams are in pursuit of similar types of players once again. Quarterback is out of the way for both thanks to Daniel Jones and Sam Darnold, but the crosstown rivals could use some pass-rushing and pass-catching help....

Previously, SN expanded to projecting every selection from No. 1 to 259 in a seven-round mock. Then came our only first-round mock with trades with six potential deals shaking up the top 32 picks. Now that draft week has kicked off, here’s a straight-up three-round edition to look at several more different scenarios over Days 1 and 2, after the still no-brainer picks at 1 and 2: NFL DRAFT BIG BOARD: Ranking the top 100 players in 2021 draft class...

Since Sporting News’ previous mock draft in early October, the worst team in the NFL remains the Jets, now also the only winless team left in the league with the unquestioned No. 1 pick. There’s been a bit of a shakeup with the teams behind them, with the bottom of the NFC East set to be on the clock next. Here’s how SN now sees the first round playing out, based on the current actual draft order going into Week 8 (courtesy of Tankathon) for the top 18 picks and predictions and then using our projected order of playoff finish for the final 14 picks....

There’s more clarity on what teams need and what they’re thinking to try to upgrade their rosters come April 29. To celebrate all the movement, Sporting News is expanding its mock draft to three rounds to provide more insight into the possible selections for every team on the first two nights. Here’s a breakdown from No. 1 to No. 103 overall, with quarterbacks suddenly getting a lot more buzz and love early:...

Aaron Rodgers is looking for his fourth MVP award and first repeat as the Packers’ quarterback. After the results of Week 15, Rodgers has edged Tom Brady, who’s vying for his first MVP with the Buccaneers and also his fourth overall. Anything can happen, however, because there are still three regular-season games left before the playoffs to determine who should be the winner. Here’s a breakdown of the latest MVP odds from FanDuel going into Week 16 and who’s the best bet:...

Rodgers is still among the MVP favorites for the upcoming season, but 2018 winner Patrick Mahomes and two more young guns are right up looking for their first one: Josh Allen and Justin Herbert. Allen is still at the top of the futures list on most sportsbooks, but Herbert, as a trendy alternative, has the best odds in some. According to FanDuel, Allen (+700) is followed by Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady (both +800), with Herbert and Rodgers (both +1000) rounding out the top five....

Still, the NFL is searching for options in an attempt to make the game safer and decided to turn it into a contest with the hope of garnering more interest from people who could help. Three things that matter Sam Darnold could miss ‘multiple weeks’ with mono Jets coach Adam Gase made the shocking announcement Thursday after the quarterback missed practice Wednesday with an undisclosed illness believed to be strep throat....

All the essentials are in one place, from updated odds and spreads, our experts’ picks (straight up and against the spread), and a game-by-game guide to trends and injury reports every bettor should know before placing their wager. There are tips for making your survivor and pick ’em pool picks this week. And if daily games are more your speed, you’ll find advice on building the ideal lineups for the most popular games on DraftKings, FanDuel and Yahoo....

The NFL’s overtime rules do not allow for a sudden-death situation until both teams have possessed the ball and the game remains tied. However, if the team that gets the ball first scores a touchdown, the game ends. Many argue the existence of that rule gives too much value to something as random as a coin toss. Last year’s Saints became victims of the NFL’s overtime rules when Drew Brees and New Orleans’ offense helplessly watched the Vikings drive down the field for a touchdown in overtime of a playoff game without getting a chance to match....

Only two of the 16 games on the Week 1 NFL schedule will feature fans in the stands, as the Chiefs and Jaguars will allow a small percentage of their stadiums’ capacities to be filled. So the typical home-field advantage attached to the odds for each game is not as much of a factor. However, team travel for away games during the coronavirus pandemic is extra stressful, so the teams scheduled to make lengthy trips in Week 1 will be the first to deal with the NFL’s extensive health and safety protocols for teams on the road....

That’s a leading question considering the Packers are on a three-game slide in which they are averaging 17.7 yards per game. Aaron Rodgers ranks 26th in the NFL in QBR (40.5), and Green Bay faces the league’s top defense at Buffalo on Sunday Night Football. It’s not out of the realm of possibility for Rodgers to deliver one of those vintage Sunday Night Football performances to silence the doubters, but it won’t be easy....