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    Veteran punter Thomas Morstead released by Jets amid roster overhaul by new regime
    By DENNIS WASZAK Jr., AP Pro Football Writer | 
    5/12/25

    Veteran punter Thomas Morstead released by Jets amid roster overhaul by new regime By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press

    The New York Jets released veteran punter Thomas Morstead on Tuesday after two seasons in his second stint with the team.

    Morstead, who turned 39 in March, is part of what has been a roster overhaul by new general manager Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn since they were hired in January. Other veterans who have been released this offseason by the Jets include quarterback Aaron Rodgers , wide receiver Davante Adams and linebacker C.J. Mosley.

    New York also announced it signed undrafted free agent Kai Kroeger, who played five seasons at South Carolina.

    In a video message on his Instagram page , Morstead said he was working out at Tulane's Yulman Stadium in New Orleans and received a call from the Jets that they were moving on from him.

    “Just wanted to say thank you to all the fans, all the coaches that I worked with over the past few years, the teammates,” he said. “It’s been awesome. Had a great experience. Disappointed to be moving on and disappointed how it went down, but it’s just the way it goes in this business. I really appreciate everybody that’s been a part of the journey. And I'm out here, getting some kicks in with my boys and just wanted to say thank you to everybody.”

    The Jets thanked the punter “for everything you’ve done in the Green & White” in their announcement of Morstead's release on social media.

    Morstead was due a base salary of $2.1 million — with no guaranteed money — and set to count $3.05 million on the salary cap this season in the last year of his contract with New York.

    Morstead averaged 48.2 yards per punt in 34 games with the Jets the past two seasons while landing 55 kicks inside the 20-yard line. He has a career punting average of 46.8 yards in 255 games. Morstead was a fifth-round draft pick by New Orleans out of SMU in 2009 and played 12 seasons with the Saints before joining the Jets in 2021. He filled in for seven games for an injured Braden Mann before being released by New York and signing with Atlanta.

    Morstead played with Miami in 2022 before rejoining the Jets.

    Kroeger averaged 44.6 yards per punt, the second-best mark in Gamecocks history and set a school record with 265 career punts. He and Austin McNamara, who signed during the offseason, are the punters currently on the Jets' roster.

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

    Falcons sign former Jaguars linebacker Caleb Johnson following tryout at rookie minicamp
    5/11/25

    Falcons sign former Jaguars linebacker Caleb Johnson following tryout at rookie minicamp The Associated Press FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga.

    FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons signed linebacker Caleb Johnson on Monday.

    Johnson, who played the last three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, signed after participating in the team's rookie minicamp as a tryout player.

    Johnson signed with Chicago after the 2021 NFL draft and played one season with the Bears before his stint with Jacksonville. He played primarily on special teams in his 65 games over four seasons.

    The Falcons released wide receiver Phillip Dorsett II.

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

    Jeanty practices for the first time as Raiders hope he's the answer to their rushing problems
    By MARK ANDERSON, AP Sports Writer | 
    5/9/25

    Jeanty practices for the first time as Raiders hope he's the answer to their rushing problems By MARK ANDERSON AP Sports Writer The Associated Press HENDERSON, Nev.

    HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Ashton Jeanty won't be able to do what he does best for quite some time — make tacklers wish they never even thought of putting a hand on him.

    So not much can be read into Jeanty breaking free into the open field at the Raiders' rookies camp Friday, but Las Vegas hopes it's at least a preview of what's to come.

    The Raiders placed a lot of faith in Jeanty, the Heisman Trophy runner-up out of Boise State, by drafting him sixth last month. He was the highest-drafted running back since the New York Giants took Saquon Barkley second in 2018.

    Jeanty also received a four-year, $35.9 million contract that includes a $22.7 million signing bonus, his agent, Henry Organ, said. His $8.97 million annual salary is the 11th-highest among running backs, according to Over the Cap.

    He called it a “lifelong dream” to even be in an NFL rookies practice.

    "So to finally be out here, get to work with the team, it’s just exciting,” Jeanty said.

    Jeanty fits the profile of a Pete Carroll-coached team. Carroll relied on a similar type of back in Seattle, and Marshawn Lynch was instrumental in the Seahawks making back-to-back Super Bowls and winning one. His rugged running style and 5-foot-11 inch, 215-pound frame made tackling him an often painful experience for defenders.

    At 5-8, 211, Jeanty used a similar bruising style in leading the nation with 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns. More telling, he rushed for 1,970 yards after contact, which by itself would have led the FBS.

    That's why the Raiders decided to use such a high pick on a running back, even though it goes against the general current thinking. They could have addressed a different position at No. 6 and still taken a quality running back later in what was a deep draft at the position, but found a potential generational type of player too difficult to pass up.

    Especially for a team that had the worst ground game in the NFL last season, averaging 79.8 yards per game.

    “It’s one of those deals where it meets the need and the best player meet together,” general manager John Spytek said the night the Raiders drafted Jeanty. "You kind of feel like that’s a perfect storm at that point too, and it’s just too much to ignore at that point. He’s the perfect player for us this year, and we were thrilled to make him a Raider.”

    And now Jeanty is getting his first taste of the NFL with other players who also are beginning to learn what it takes at this level.

    One of his new teammates, offensive lineman Caleb Rogers, played against Jeanty in Texas high school scrimmages and runs in much the same social circle.

    “I had players who played with him,” said Rogers, a third-round draft pick out of Texas Tech. "So just hearing a lot about him, I’m excited to continue to be around him, see how he works, see how he’s a pro. I’ve heard a lot about how he approaches the game and how he does a great job, and so I’m excited just be a part of that.”

    Rogers, though, said he doesn't remember those early interactions with Jeanty.

    “I don’t because he happened to have (Denver wide receiver) Marvin Mims on his team," Rogers said. "He has the record for high school football receiving yards, so he was kind of doing his thing back then.”

    Jeanty hopes to give Rogers and the rest of his new teammates performances they won't be able to forget.

    They are excited to have him. Star defensive end Maxx Crosby live-streamed his podcast on the first night of the draft with center Jackson Powers-Johnson. Both were ecstatic when the Raiders selected Jeanty, with Crosby pumping his right fist and Powers-Johnson raising both arms and yelling.

    There also is video of Powers-Johnson meeting Jeanty, embracing him and saying, “I'm your center.”

    Expectations certainly are high inside and outside the Raiders facility. Now it's a matter of whether Jeanty meets them.

    He has a long way to go, but Friday was a start.

    “Getting out just seeing everything, how it all works,” Jeanty said.

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

    Saints QB Derek Carr is retiring because of 'significant degenerative changes' to his right shoulder
    By BRETT MARTEL, AP Sports Writer | 
    5/9/25

    Saints QB Derek Carr is retiring because of 'significant degenerative changes' to his right shoulder By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer The Associated Press NEW ORLEANS

    NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans Saints veteran starting quarterback Derek Carr is retiring because of a labral tear in his right shoulder and “significant degenerative changes” to his rotator cuff, the team announced Saturday.

    Carr, 34, has played for 11 pro seasons since being selected out of Fresno State by the then-Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft.

    He was acquired by the Saints as a free agent in 2023 but had mixed results in New Orleans, going 14-13 as a starter while struggling through oblique, hand and head injuries that caused him to miss seven games last season.

    Carr, who was entering the third year of a four-year, $150 million contract, experienced unexpected pain in his throwing shoulder when he began to ramp up training on his own this offseason. That led to the diagnosis which now has cut short his career.

    “Surgery was an option, jeopardizing the entire 2025 season, yet there was no guarantee Derek would return to the level of strength, function and performance of play to which he was accustomed,” the Saints said in a written announcement.

    The Saints did not acknowledge Carr's injury until the day before this year's NFL draft in late April. Carr did not speak publicly about the injury until a few days later, when he delivered a guest sermon at a Las Vegas church . In that sermon, Carr said his critics were “lying” about him when they questioned the unusual timing of the injury, as well as both the team's and Carr's initial reticence to address it openly or answer questions about it.

    Carr has career passing totals of 41,245 yards, 257 touchdowns and 112 interceptions. The four-time Pro Bowler retires with a 77-92 regular-season record as a starter, 0-1 in the playoffs.

    Carr said he made his decision in consultation with his wife, Heather, and “upon reflection of prayer.”

    “For more than 11 years, we have been incredibly blessed, and we are forever grateful and humbled by this experience,” Carr said. “It’s difficult to find the right words to express our thanks to all the teammates, coaches, management, ownership, team officials and especially the fans who made this journey so special."

    “I sleep well knowing that I gave my teammates, my coaches, and my cities my all,” Carr added.

    The decision also comes after New Orleans, heading into its first season with Kellen Moore as coach, used a high second-round draft choice to select Louisville’s Tyler Shough .

    Now Shough, who learned of Carr's decision just before taking the field for a rookie camp practice on Saturday, will have a chance to compete for a starting job.

    “All I want is an opportunity,” said the 26-year-old Shough, who, in part because of injuries, spent seven years at the college level with three programs, starting with Oregon and Texas Tech. “I've been at points in my career where I would just be dying to get on the field because I was injured. I was a backup before and I was a starter. So, I know a lot of those roles and what it looks like, and I think I can operate well in any of them."

    "I'm just really excited for that opportunity to go out there and prove myself,” he added.

    Other QBs on the Saints roster include second-year pro Spencer Rattler and third-year player Jake Haener, who did not post a victory between them in seven games last season, six of which Rattler started.

    Carr's retirement "will provide some of those younger quarterbacks a chance to just get ready from a rep standpoint and opportunity standpoint,” Moore said. “Obviously, those guys will be ready and fired up for that.”

    Moore was noncommittal about the possibility of bringing in an established veteran QB through free agency.

    “We'll certainly have awareness of it,” Moore said. “We're ready if the opportunity presents itself.”

    Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1966, just 12 quarterbacks who were not drafted in the first round have started season-openers as rookies. One of them was Carr. Another was the Cowboys' Dak Prescott in 2016, when Moore was a reserve QB in Dallas.

    Prescott “was obviously a fourth-round pick and probably wasn't anticipating being a starter that year," noted Moore, who also coached Prescott as Dallas' QBs coach in 2018 and as offensive coordinator from 2019 to 2022. "These guys all come from different paths."

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

    Shedeur Sanders is trying to block out noise and focus on the Browns' playbook
    By JOE REEDY, AP Sports Writer | 
    5/9/25

    Shedeur Sanders is trying to block out noise and focus on the Browns' playbook By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer The Associated Press BEREA, Ohio

    BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Trying to get his jersey number back is the least of Shedeur Sanders’ worries.

    With a playbook to learn and trying to prove critics wrong after sliding to the fifth round in the NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback knows he has a long way to go before he even considers making an offer to receiver DeAndre Carter to wear No. 2.

    “I’m not trying to buy anything. My signing bonus ain’t that high right now,” Sanders said at the end of his 13-minute availability with the media before Saturday’s practice at rookie minicamp.

    Sanders took No. 12 because he said it was the best number available. It also doesn’t hurt that it was the number Tom Brady wore en route to seven Super Bowl championships with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

    Brady said during a podcast appearance earlier this week that he texted Sanders after the draft and told him to use his slide to the 144th overall pick as motivation. Brady was the 199th pick in the 2000 draft.

    “There were a lot of fans of me, my craft and my family that was there to support (me). I was just thankful that I have that foundation overall,” Sanders said.

    While Sanders’ fall in the draft could be attributed to some of the comments from his father — Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders — he knows that everything from here on out is up to him.

    “I’m taking every snap out there; I’m getting up after these hits. I’m the one throwing touchdowns. I’m the one that got to live it day by day. So all he gave us was the opportunity, and we had to navigate and see what we liked,” Sanders said. “And especially coming to this building, we have great coaches in the building able to keep me focused, keep me in a straight and narrow line.”

    When it comes to the negative comments, Sanders did add that he feels most of it comes from older fans instead of those his own age or younger, and that most of it is because of his famous father.

    “Ninety-nine percent of hatred is towards pops and then I’m just his son, so it really just comes from that. And I’ve told him that too,” he said. “It’s the older generation that do it to me rather than the younger people because when I come in person there’s no negativity I see. But it’s all over online.”

    Sanders and third-round pick Dillon Gabriel got plenty of snaps over the two days of practices. Besides trying to learn the playbook, there is refining technique and also trying to learn how to take snaps under center regularly.

    Because the veterans have not had a chance to do any 11-on-11 drills yet during their offseason program, head coach Kevin Stefanski said some of the plays installed for the rookies were to get an on-field look and assess for the first time.

    Gabriel said he is not trying to get caught up in any distractions, and is welcoming the chance to compete with Sanders through the offseason program and training camp.

    “I love it because of who it is. I think just for us both, you can learn from one another,” Gabriel said. “But also, it’s not just us two in the room. At least for right now it is. But going into the year, Kenny (Pickett), Joe (Flacco) and even Deshaun (Watson), just a bunch of guys who played a bunch of ball that we can all learn from one another.”

    The rookies will join the veterans on Monday but won’t take the field for a couple of days as the workload increases. With a four-way competition between Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Gabriel and Sanders, Stefanski left open the possibility of one or two more receivers than usual being on the 90-man roster for training camp.

    Even though DeShaun Watson is expected to miss the season as he recovers from tearing his Achilles twice, Stefanski said Watson is out of his walking boot, continues to rehab, and has been in the meeting room with Pickett and Flacco.

    “There’s no easy way to just pour an install into a person and say, ‘Here’s our offense, here’s our playbook, figure it out.’ It just takes time,” Stefanski said. “This’s just not something that you can just pick up and snap your fingers. I wish it was so; there’s just a lot of meetings. You’re going to make mistakes — both physical and mental — and what we’re trying to do is coach off of those and learn from those.”

    Sanders said the important thing he will focus on over the next couple of months is trying to improve daily.

    “I just find something I want to perfect and just perfect it to the best of my abilities,” he said. “I’m just thankful for an opportunity. Things could have been a lot worse, but I’m here smiling in front of you all at this facility right now.”

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

    Quinn Ewers is past surprising slip in the draft, now the Dolphins QB is aiming to 'go get noticed'
    By ALANIS THAMES, AP Sports Writer | 
    5/8/25

    Quinn Ewers is past surprising slip in the draft, now the Dolphins QB is aiming to 'go get noticed' By ALANIS THAMES AP Sports Writer The Associated Press MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.

    MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Quinn Ewers didn't expect to slip to the seventh round of the 2025 NFL draft. But when the Dolphins rookie quarterback put on a Miami jersey for the first time Friday, none of that mattered anymore.

    Now, the work begins to prove he's ready for the NFL.

    Ewers, drafted 231st last month by Miami, is third on the Dolphins' depth chart behind starter Tua Tagovailoa and free agent signing Zach Wilson . He was the last quarterback selected in the draft; 13 others were picked before him. Whether it was because of concerns about his consistency or injury history he doesn't quite know, but he admitted being overlooked is a position he hasn't been in too often.

    “I didn’t expect to fall as low as I did,” Ewers said Friday as the Dolphins opened rookie minicamp. “It is what it is at the end of the day, and I have the same opportunity that everybody else does, and I’m beyond thankful for that. I just want to go in there and play my game and learn and develop as a quarterback.”

    Ewers was the top-rated high school quarterback in the country when he signed with Ohio State and left school early to the join the Buckeyes in 2021. After spending a season deep on Ohio State's depth chart, Ewers transferred to Texas, where was the starter by the 2022 season opener.

    The Dolphins were impressed by his experience and how he responded to pressure in college. In three years as the Longhorns' starter, Ewers led Texas to a Big 12 championship and twice to the College Football Playoff. He passed for 9,128 yards and 68 touchdowns in a career rivaled by few other quarterbacks that have gone through the program.

    But he was hindered by various injuries, including an abdomen strain that sidelined him for a couple games this past season. That allowed the Longhorns to get two starts from Arch Manning — the highly touted son of Cooper Manning who Texas fans were eager to see in action despite Ewers' success.

    “We talked to coach (Steve) Sarkisian about him and ‘Sark’ really likes and was high (on him)," general manager Chris Grier said during the draft. "(He) talked about his toughness, his mental toughness, the pushing through with the injury, the expectations, all the pressure with (Arch) Manning there coming in. He loved his competitiveness and how he plays, and how his teammates respond to him.”

    Ewers said his immediate NFL goal is to learn Mike McDaniel's complex playbook and find ways to stand out. The leadership the Dolphins saw in him in college, he said, will go a long way.

    “Right now it’s my responsibility to lead all these rookies," Ewers said. "It’s my opportunity to go get noticed at the end of the day. And I’m going to try to go do that.”

    Backup quarterback is an important position in Miami. Tagovailoa has missed at least one game in all but one of his five NFL seasons. The Dolphins used three different quarterbacks last season after injuries limited Tagovailoa to just 11 starts — his fewest since starting nine games his rookie season.

    Grier wasted little time in free agency addressing Miami's need for a backup, signing Wilson to a one-year deal in March. Wilson, the New York Jets’ No. 2 overall pick in 2021, hopes to earn a starting role at some point.

    Ewers will be aiming for the same.

    “There’s a lot of guys out there right now, and everyone’s fighting for the same job,” Ewers said. “And we’re all competitive, but it’s cool at the same time just because at the end of the day some of these guys are going to end up being teammates with us. But you’ve got to earn the job and earn the trust of those guys as well.”

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

    Steelers GM Omar Khan says trading talented but mercurial WR George Pickens was right for both sides
    By WILL GRAVES, AP Sports Writer | 
    5/8/25

    Steelers GM Omar Khan says trading talented but mercurial WR George Pickens was right for both sides By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer The Associated Press PITTSBURGH

    PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan wasn't planning to trade wide receiver George Pickens .

    Then the Dallas Cowboys called with an offer Khan couldn't pass up, and after three years of trying to balance Pickens' dazzling behavior on the field with his petulance off it, Khan decided it was time to move on.

    Pittsburgh sent Pickens to Dallas on Wednesday in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2026 draft and a fifth-rounder in 2027. The Cowboys get a sixth-round choice in two years.

    “We just kind of talked about it, you know, (and had) lots of serious conversation, honest conversations,” Khan said Friday. “And we just felt that a fresh start for both sides was the right thing.”

    Pickens was about to enter the final year of the rookie deal he signed after being selected in the second round in 2022. While he caught 174 passes for 2,841 and 12 touchdowns across three seasons, he also consistently found himself making headlines for something other than catching a football, be it fighting opponents , getting fined for writing an expletive on his eye black , or inattentiveness to downfield blocking .

    Khan declined to describe Pickens' tenure as a “disappointment,” pointing out there were plenty of exciting moments when Pickens flashed his freakish ability.

    Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin almost uniformly backed Pickens despite the missteps, save for one occasion last season when Tomlin said it was time for Pickens “to grow up” after he drew two penalties for taunting during a victory over Cincinnati last December.

    Khan declined to speculate whether Pickens would have held out (or even held in) during organized team activities and minicamp, a tactic star outside linebacker T.J. Watt and former wide receiver Diontae Johnson have done in the past.

    While the club had planned to go into the season with Pickens and recently acquired DK Metcalf paired together, Khan remains confident in the group behind Metcalf, which includes Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, Scott Miller and veteran Robert Woods, who signed last week.

    The team could also explore bringing in another veteran before training camp starts, one of many variables at play for Pittsburgh.

    The Steelers remain in a holding pattern in regards to four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is continuing to weigh whether to return for a 21st season. The club has not set a firm deadline and all options remain on the table not just at quarterback, but elsewhere.

    “We want to get good players, good people, and you know we’re chasing a championship,” Khan said. “And every decision we make is based on trying to win a championship not only in the future but this year. I mean, we’re focused on trying to win a championship this year.”

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

    Dolphins sign 7 draft picks and add veteran long snapper Joe Cardona
    5/8/25

    Dolphins sign 7 draft picks and add veteran long snapper Joe Cardona The Associated Press MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.

    MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins signed seven of their 2025 draft picks on Friday and added veteran long snapper Joe Cardona.

    Cardona is entering his 11th NFL season and is joining the Dolphins after 10 seasons with Miami's division rival the New England Patriots. He appeared in 160 career games with New England and recorded 13 special teams tackles and one forced fumble. Cardona has also appeared in 13 postseason games and won Super Bowls LI and LIII with the Patriots.

    Cardona will replace Blake Ferguson , who Miami released Thursday after five seasons.

    Miami's signed picks are defensive tackles Kenneth Grant, Zeek Biggers and Jordan Phillips, cornerback Jason Marshall Jr., safety Dante Trader Jr., running back Ollie Gordon II and quarterback Quinn Ewers.

    Grant, selected 13th overall, signed a four-year deal worth just under $22 million, per ESPN.

    The Dolphins also signed 16 undrafted free agents ahead of the start of rookie minicamp on Friday.

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

    Jets rookie Mason Taylor loves the high expectations that come from being Hall of Famer's son
    By DENNIS WASZAK Jr., AP Pro Football Writer | 
    5/8/25

    Jets rookie Mason Taylor loves the high expectations that come from being Hall of Famer's son By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press

    Mason Taylor watched his father finish up a Hall of Fame career with wide eyes and football dreams of his own.

    Now, the son of Jason Taylor is a member of the New York Jets — a second-round draft pick from LSU with famous bloodlines and an opportunity to make an immediate impact in the NFL.

    With a chance to step out of one big shadow.

    “There’s high expectations, for sure, just because of the last name,” Mason Taylor acknowledged after the Jets' first practice of rookie minicamp Friday. “But I mean, when people say, like, ‘Oh, let him have his shine,’ you know, ‘Stop saying his dad’s name,’ I mean, I love it. We’re family."

    His father was one of the NFL's greatest pass rushers with 139 1/2 career sacks during a 15-year career. That included 13 seasons with Miami over three stints, one season with Washington and the 2010 season for the Jets — the last time New York made the playoffs.

    Several photos of Mason Taylor — then 6 years old — have floated around social media the past few weeks of him at Jets practices and games with a green Mohawk and a green and white No. 99 jersey. There's another of him celebrating his 7th birthday while wearing a No. 6 Mark Sanchez jersey.

    “Yeah, I mean, seeing the pictures and being here now," said Taylor, now wearing No. 46 with the Jets, “is definitely a surreal moment.”

    His uncle is Zach Thomas, the brother of Mason's mother and also a Pro Football Hall of Famer. He was also a long-time teammate of Jason with the Dolphins.

    “I mean, I’m wanting to be like them,” Mason said. "So, you can call it ‘in their shadows,’ but I love modeling my game after theirs, their hard work. I know they were on the defense, but just their hard work and how they weren’t highly recruited coming into the NFL ... their consistency every single day.

    “I look up to those guys, for sure.”

    Jason Taylor got emotional shortly after his son was drafted, wiping away tears during a video call with reporters when thinking about what it'll be like for him to see Mason playing in the NFL.

    Before the young tight end reported for rookie camp with the Jets, he received some advice from his famous father.

    “He actually shot me a text yesterday, last night before our first day today: ‘Just be where your feet are, take it one step at a time,’” recalled Mason Taylor, who turned 21 on Thursday. “And that’s something I’ve done my whole entire life — just one day at a time, one install at a time, one practice at a time, one workout at a time.

    "So really just being where your feet are, stacking days and that'll show your consistency and then that will get the trust from the coaches and players as well.”

    Taylor had 129 catches for 1,308 yards and six TDs in three seasons at LSU, establishing himself as the most productive tight end in school history and one of the top players at his position in the country. He'll be counted on to add another passing option for Justin Fields in the Jets’ new-look offense this season.

    New York's tight ends group also includes Jeremy Ruckert, Zack Kuntz, Neal Johnson and Stone Smartt, but Taylor could see significant snaps as a rookie.

    “Taking advantage of my opportunity here and the coaches bringing me and trusting me to be a part of their program just speaks to the level of confidence they have in me,” Taylor said. “And just giving them all I got on the field for minicamp and showing that in the meetings and weight room and all that is definitely something I’m looking forward to do.”

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

    The 49ers waive 2022 second-round defensive end Drake Jackson
    By JOSH DUBOW, AP Pro Football Writer | 
    5/8/25

    The 49ers waive 2022 second-round defensive end Drake Jackson By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press SANTA CLARA, Calif.

    SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers waived defensive lineman Drake Jackson on Friday, cutting ties with their second-round pick from the 2022 NFL draft.

    Jackson was waived with a failed physical designation after missing the last season and a half with a torn patellar tendon in his left knee. Jackson played 23 games for the Niners in 2022-23 with six sacks — half of them coming in the 2023 season opener at Pittsburgh.

    Jackson was the first player taken by the 49ers in a draft class that has produced only one consistent starter in quarterback Brock Purdy, who was taken with the final pick of that draft.

    San Francisco traded away its first-round pick that year in a deal to move up to draft Trey Lance in 2021 and had previously moved on from third-rounders Tyrion Davis-Price and Danny Gray.

    The only players from that class on the current roster besides Purdy are backups Spencer Burford, Kalia Davis and Nick Zakelj.

    San Francisco also added depth at offensive tackle on Friday by signing former Philadelphia first-round pick Andre Dillard and former Tennessee starter Nicholas Petit-Frere. They will compete with recently signed D.J. Humphries to be the swing tackle behind starters Trent Williams and Colton McKivitz.

    San Francisco also signed cornerback Dallis Flowers. Offensive lineman Jalen McKenzie was waived and cornerback Tre Tomlinson was waived with an injury designation.

    The 49ers also signed eight of their 11 draft picks: third-rounders Nick Martin and Upton Stout; fourth-rounder Jordan Watkins; fifth-rounders Jordan James and Marques Sigle; and seventh-rounders Connor Colby, Kurtis Rourke and Junior Bergen.

    San Francisco signed five undrafted rookies before its rookie minicamp: running back Corey Kiner, offensive lineman Drew Moss, receiver Isaiah Neyor; cornerback Jakob Robinson and defensive Sebastian Valdez.

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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    Jeanty practices for the first time as Raiders hope he's the answer to their rushing problems
    Saints QB Derek Carr is retiring because of 'significant degenerative changes' to his right shoulder
    Shedeur Sanders is trying to block out noise and focus on the Browns' playbook
    Quinn Ewers is past surprising slip in the draft, now the Dolphins QB is aiming to 'go get noticed'
    Steelers GM Omar Khan says trading talented but mercurial WR George Pickens was right for both sides
    Dolphins sign 7 draft picks and add veteran long snapper Joe Cardona
    Jets rookie Mason Taylor loves the high expectations that come from being Hall of Famer's son
    The 49ers waive 2022 second-round defensive end Drake Jackson
    Shedeur Sanders takes the field for the first time as the Browns begin their rookie minicamp
    Receiver George Pickens points north with Cowboys after Steelers tenure turned south
    The Steelers move on from George Pickens by trading mercurial receiver to Cowboys
    Jaguars release WR Gabe Davis, moving on 14 months after signing him to a $39M contract
    Well-traveled WR Dionate Johnson's tour of the AFC North makes another stop in Cleveland
    Rams sign former Eagles kick returner Britain Covey to a 1-year deal
    Steelers add wide receiver Robert Woods to crowded room that includes DK Metcalf and George Pickens
    Patriots release long snapper Joe Cardona, the team's longest-tenured player
    Diontae Johnson agrees to 1-year deal with Cleveland Browns, AP source says
    Commanders sign kicker Matt Gay and release Zane Gonzalez

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