Bucs rookie Desmond Watson, at 464 pounds, tops list of the NFL's heaviest players By MARK LONG AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press
Even though Desmond Watson is trying to make Tampa Bay’s roster, he’s already made history — as the NFL’s heaviest player.
The 6-foot-6, 464-pound defensive tackle from Florida signed with his hometown Buccaneers after going undrafted and will begin his NFL journey during Tampa Bay’s three-day rookie minicamp that opens Friday. He’s sure to get plenty of attention — maybe even as much as the team’s first-round draft pick, former Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka.
The Bucs would no doubt like to see Watson a little lighter on his feet. The Gators struggled for four years to make tangible progress with a guy Florida coach Billy Napier called “a unicorn” and “just a big man.”
While no current NFL player tops 400 pounds — Baltimore Ravens guard Daniel Faalele is the heaviest at 380 — there have been a few who have played at or near four bills. Here’s a look at some of the beefiest guys in league history:
Aaron Gibson, 410 pounds
A first-round draft pick by Detroit in 1999, Gibson started 15 games for the Lions before getting waived in the middle of his third season. Shoulder issues landed the offensive tackle on injured reserve in each of his first two years. He also played with Dallas and Chicago before getting one final shot in the NFL with Buffalo in 2006; the Bills cut him near the end of training camp. He bounced around the Arena Football League from there. He battled depression after his playing days ended and weighed as much as 480 pounds.
Terrell Brown, 403 pounds
The 6-foot-10 Brown signed with the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted rookie from Mississippi in 2013. He showed up 15 pounds heavier than then-Rams coach Jeff Fisher expected. He shed some weight during training camp — the Rams had him playing right tackle after working him on both sides of the ball — but he didn’t make the team.
Nate Newton, 401 pounds
Cut by Washington before spending two years (1984-85) in the USFL, Newton’s career changed dramatically when he signed with the Dallas Cowboys. Nicknamed “The Kitchen” because of his size, Newton lost a footrace with then-Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson that pushed him to get into better shape. He ended up becoming one of the league’s most dominant guards in the 1990s. He made six Pro Bowls while blocking for Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman and helped the Cowboys win three Super Bowls. Newton was back over 400 pounds in retirement, but he eventually lost nearly half his body weight thanks to stomach surgery in 2010.
Michael Jasper, 394 pounds
Despite weighing as much as 450 pounds as a two-way player at Bethel University of the NAIA, Buffalo drafted Jasper in the seventh round in 2011. He dropped to 375 pounds during training camp but was released in final cuts. He landed on Buffalo’s practice squad but never played in a regular-season game. He’s now the head coach at Stetson.
Bryant McKinnie, 386 pounds
McKinnie played in 179 games, with 162 starts, over a 12-year NFL career. A college standout at Miami and the seventh overall pick by Minnesota in 2002, McKinnie’s 6-foot-8 frame handled the weight well. He made the Pro Bowl in 2009 and won the Super Bowl with Baltimore following the 2012 season.
William Perry, 382 pounds
A first-round draft pick by Chicago in 1985, Perry quickly earned the nickname “The Refrigerator” and became a fan favorite as a rookie. The run-stuffing nose tackle also carried five times for 7 yards and two touchdowns in the regular season and had a TD catch. His bone-jarring TD run — and subsequent spike — against New England in the 1986 Super Bowl remains an iconic moment in NFL lore. He finished his pro career with 524 tackles, including 29 1/2 sacks, over 138 games. The Fridge may have gained popularity in retirement: He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame and participated as a celebrity contestant in the 2003 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
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Dolphins release long snapper Blake Ferguson among four roster cuts The Associated Press MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins released Blake Ferguson on Thursday, parting ways with the long snapper after five seasons.
Ferguson, a sixth-round pick by Miami in 2020, was one of four players the Dolphins cut on Thursday to clear roster space. Cornerback Ryan Cooper Jr., defensive tackle Neil Farrell and offensive lineman Chasen Hines were also released.
Ferguson appeared in 72 games with Miami, recording eight special teams tackles and one special teams fumble recovery. He did not play the second half of last season because of an undisclosed medical issue, and the Dolphins used practice squad long snappers in his place.
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Panthers release veteran edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney, rule out Jonathan Brooks for the season The Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers released veteran Jadeveon Clowney on Thursday after selecting two edge rushers in the NFL draft.
Clowney, the No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft, had 5 1/2 sacks last season for the Panthers.
He had one year left on his two-year, $20 million contract.
The Panthers drafted Texas A&M’s Nic Scourton in the second round and Mississippi’s Princely Umanmielen in the third round in last month's NFL draft with an eye to getting younger at the position. Carolina also signed free agent Patrick Jones II in free agency.
Carolina's other edge rushers include D.J. Wonnum, DJ Johnson, Amare Barno, Kenny Dyson, Thomas Incoom and 2021 second-round pick Boogie Basham.
The Panthers also placed running Jonathon Brooks, the team’s second-round pick in 2024, on the physically unable to perform list — meaning he will not play in 2025. Brooks re-tore the ACL in his knee as a rookie in Week 14 after suffering a similar injury to the same knee during his final season at the University of Texas.
The Panthers had prepared for just such a scenario with Brooks, adding depth to the running back room this offseason by signing free agent Rico Dowdle from the Dallas Cowboys and drafting Trevor Etienne from Georgia in the fourth round.
Carolina also waived tight end convert Colin Granger, a former college basketball player, as part of an injury settlement. The team also released tight end Jordan Matthews and receiver Dax Milne, and waived receiver T.J. Luther, offensive lineman Andrew Raym and defensive tackle Jerrod Clark.
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Bears sign No. 10 overall draft pick Colston Loveland to his rookie contract The Associated Press LAKE FOREST, Ill.
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears signed first-round draft pick Colston Loveland to his rookie contract on Thursday.
The Bears wasted little time locking in the tight end from Michigan after taking him with the No. 10 overall pick two weeks ago. He gets a four-year deal with a team option for the 2029 season. Last year, the Bears didn't sign No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams and first-rounder Rome Odunze until mid-July.
Loveland was one of five draft picks Chicago signed on Thursday. The others were linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II (fourth round), defensive back Zah Frazier (fifth round), offensive lineman Luke Newman (sixth round) and running back Kyle Monangai (seventh round). Second-rounders Luther Burden III (receiver), Ozzy Trapilo (offensive tackle) and Shemar Turner (defensive end) remain unsigned.
The 6-foot-6 Loveland gives the Bears a potentially potent tandem at tight end with Cole Kmet. He set a school record for a tight end with 56 receptions for 582 yards and five touchdowns as a junior last season. He was second-team All-Big Ten and a finalist for the John Mackey Award given to college football’s top tight end. He was first-team all-conference in the 2023 national championship season, when he caught 45 passes for 649 yards and four TDs.
Loveland had surgery to reconstruct the AC joint in his right shoulder on Jan. 29 to fix an injury he suffered in September. He is expected to be ready by training camp.
The Bears finished last in the NFC North at 5-12. They fired former coach Matt Eberflus in the middle of a 10-game losing streak and hired Ben Johnson in the offseason to replace him.
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Robert Saleh plans to revive the 49ers defense in his 2nd stint as coordinator By JOSH DUBOW AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press SANTA CLARA, Calif.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Robert Saleh once again is tasked with reviving the San Francisco defense following a rough season when the Niners struggled to slow down opposing offenses.
The main difference this time when Saleh returns for a second stint as Niners defensive coordinator following an unsuccessful run as head coach of the New York Jets is the talent that he inherits.
Instead of building a defense up nearly from scratch as he did in his first tenure, Saleh inherits a unit that features a former Defensive Player of the Year in edge rusher Nick Bosa, four-time All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner and versatile defensive back Deommodore Lenoir.
“There’s a lot of really good talent on this defense,” Saleh said Thursday. “So it’s not nearly as what ’17 was.”
Saleh was hired as head coach Kyle Shanahan’s first defensive coordinator in 2017 and struggled the first two seasons. But after the team drafted Bosa in 2019 and implemented the “wide nine” scheme that featured edge rushers lining up wide and focusing on getting up field, the defense took off.
San Francisco went to the Super Bowl in the 2019 season and still had a strong season the following season when Bosa missed almost the entire year with a knee injury, leading to Saleh getting the head coaching job with the Jets.
Saleh was fired midway through this past season in New York, but the Jets had a strong defense under his tenure. During Saleh’s last two full seasons with the Jets in 2022-23, New York ranked first in yards passing allowed per game (178.9) and yards per play allowed (4.7), and second in total defense (301.7 yards per game).
“Obviously, I’ve gone through the head coaching stuff and you learn a lot going through that,” Saleh said. “But I’m happy to be back in this chair where I get to coach a little bit more football and not deal with all the administrative stuff that comes with being a head coach.”
Saleh said he never considered taking a year off when he didn't get another shot at being a head coach and returning to the 49ers was his first choice as a coordinator.
Saleh had high praise for the way Shanahan and general manager John Lynch run the organization and appreciates the loyalty they showed early in his first time as coordinator.
“If you think about those first two years as D-coordinator in ’17 and ’18, it wasn’t easy,” he said. "It could have been very easy for them to move on from me. I’m indebted to this organization, to those men for the rest of my life. They stuck with me and we made it happen. We did what we needed to do, and the rest is history. I’m excited about the opportunity to get the chance to do it again with them.”
Saleh said his defensive system has evolved since he left San Francisco as he tries to stay ahead of whatever offenses are doing around the NFL.
He plans to bring in those new elements along with some of the successful changes that the Niners have undergone to create a new defense. He also will have to incorporate in several rookies who could be key contributors to fill several holes created earlier this offseason.
“Some things are the same, some things are the same from the Jets, some things are meshed, some things are coming in that are new,” he said. "We’re trying to stay a couple years ahead. A lot of it may seem similar, but there’s a lot of nuance that makes a difference.”
Saleh will be the fourth defensive coordinator in four seasons for San Francisco. DeMeco Ryans, who replaced Saleh in 2021, left to become head coach in Houston following the 2022 season, and Steve Wilks and Nick Sorensen were each replaced after one season the past two years.
The 49ers regressed this season under Sorensen as the injury-filled unit struggled to create turnovers, stop the run and create consistent pressure on the quarterback.
San Francisco ranked 29th in the league in scoring defense, allowing 25.6 points per game, and was tied for the seventh-fewest takeaways with 17. The Niners had just two takeaways over the final nine games and ended the season allowing at least 40 points in back-to-back games for the first time since 2015.
“There’s a lot of empathy for what happened to the group last year,” Saleh said. “There was a lot of things that, through the halfway point, this defense was playing some really good football and there were a lot of injuries and the wheels kind of fell off during the last four weeks of the season.”
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Cardinals rookie cornerback Will Johnson ready to show his talent By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer The Associated Press TEMPE, Ariz.
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Will Johnson's first few moments as a member of the Arizona Cardinals weren't the best, with the cornerback still seething because of his fall from a potential top-10 pick to the second round because of injury concerns.
Two weeks later, he's in a much better mood.
“Happy to be here, happy to get to work and happy to see what's to come,” Johnson said.
Johnson's demeanor has improved for many reasons, but mainly because his drop to the No. 47 overall selection meant he landed in Arizona. The Cardinals believe they're an up-and-coming franchise under third-year coach Jonathan Gannon after finishing with an 8-9 record last season, which was a four-win improvement over 2023.
Now they're embarking on a defensive overhaul in an effort to return to the postseason for the first time since 2021. The Cardinals have made it clear that the 22-year-old Johnson is one of the centerpieces for that effort.
He'll get his first chance to reward that confidence on Friday, when the team opens rookie minicamp.
“You can tell they’re trying to win,” Johnson said. “They’ve got a lot of pieces on offense and you can tell they’re trying to get those same pieces on defenses to make it all come together. We’ve just got to get to work and prove we’re great players.”
The Cardinals used six of their seven picks during April's draft on defensive players, adding Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen III at No. 16 before grabbing Johnson, who was a vital contributor during Michigan's run to a national title in 2023.
Arizona also added Oregon edge rusher Jordan Burch in the third round, Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon in the fourth, Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke in the fifth and Nevada safety Kitan Crawford in the seventh. The only offensive player taken was Texas guard Hayden Conner.
The Cardinals also spent plenty of money on the defense during free agency, adding several veteran pieces, including Josh Sweat , Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson.
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” Johnson said.
There is little concern about Johnson's ability on the field, but slightly more angst about his injury history. He played in just six games last season with the Wolverines, missing several weeks while dealing with turf toe. There was also a hamstring issue that kept him out of Michigan's pro day during the pre-draft process.
But the real red flag seems to be a knee issue that required surgery in 2023. Johnson said the injury hasn't bothered him since and has been adamant there are no lingering effects.
“It’s all good,” Johnson said. “Ready to go.”
Johnson said he's ready to play for Gannon, a high-energy coach who as a coordinator helped lead the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl in 2022 before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs. Gannon's specialty is coaching defensive backs and the Cardinals have used lots of draft capital on the position the past few years, adding Garrett Williams in 2023, Max Melton in 2024 and now Johnson.
Much like Johnson, Williams fell to the third round in the '23 draft because of injury concerns. He was coming off a torn ACL but has quickly grown into a key contributor.
Williams, Melton and Johnson could all have a major role this fall.
“He’s just very passionate about it, and you got to love someone who is passionate,” Johnson said of Gannon. “He cares about his players and is a player’s coach. That the kind of guy I want to play for.”
Johnson called Gannon's defensive system a “cornerback's dream” because it gives players the opportunity to play several different styles. For a confident player who feels he was overlooked during the draft, it's just the kind of opportunity he was expecting.
“I've been able to move on, it's just motivation,” Johnson said. “I know there's going to be something special here, so I'm excited for it.”
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Receiver George Pickens points north with Cowboys after Steelers tenure turned south By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press
George Pickens says he joins the Dallas Cowboys focused more on a future with quarterback Dak Prescott and fellow receiver CeeDee Lamb than a past of why the Pittsburgh Steelers would trade one of their top playmakers in his prime .
Dallas gave up a third-round draft pick next year, and the teams swapped late-round choices in 2027 to end Pickens' three-year stint with the Steelers.
There were enough questionable antics for coach Mike Tomlin to declare bluntly last year that the former Georgia star and 2022 second-round pick needed to grow up. He isn't worried about that perception following him to Dallas.
“I can’t really change anyone’s opinion of me personally,” Pickens said in a conference call with reporters Thursday, a day after the trade was announced. “I feel like everybody in the world has to grow. You get older and older as you grow. We’re trying to build a winning culture, which they already have at the Cowboys. I’m just glad to be joining it.”
The Cowboys weren't winners last season, finishing 7-10 to end a three-year stretch of 12-5 playoff seasons. All three of those ended without a trip beyond the divisional round of the playoffs. Dallas is the only NFC team that hasn't played in a conference championship game since the 1995 season, when the Cowboys won their fifth Super Bowl title.
Looking to rebound under first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer, Dallas didn't address the need for a No. 2 receiver behind Lamb during the draft. The trade for Pickens might have been why. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones said before the draft the Cowboys were working on a couple of “substantive” trades.
Pickens has the skills to match Lamb, who was an All-Pro in 2023 when he set career highs in catches (an NFL-best 135), yards (1,749) and touchdowns (12). The 24-year-old Pickens — two years younger than Lamb — led the Steelers in receiving yards each of the past two seasons and is among the NFL's best in yards per catch.
“You guys making a 1A, 1B, and all this, honestly, that’s the first time I’ve heard any of that stuff,” Pickens said. “I feel like two receivers are kind of normal. When I used to watch football, there was always a good receiver, and then there was also another good receiver on the side of him.”
Pickens has consistently struggled to keep his emotions in check. Last season alone he twice ended games by getting into dust-ups with opposing defensive backs, first when he grabbed Dallas’ Jourdan Lewis by the facemask and then when he tussled with Cleveland’s Greg Newsome II rather than try to get in position for a last-second desperation pass.
That doesn’t include a fine for using an expletive on his eye black against the Cowboys, a rule he said he was unaware of at the time . Pickens also drew criticism in 2023 for what could generously be described as inattentive downfield blocking for his teammates.
Pickens won't have to worry about making nice with Lewis, who signed with Jacksonville as a free agent in March. Prescott was among the first to reach out to Pickens, who will need time to get settled in his new home and meet most of his new teammates.
“I like the mojo here,” Pickens said. “I like the swag.”
Considering Pickens' volatility, the Steelers didn’t seem interested in a contract extension, and he became expendable when they traded for two-time Pro Bowler DK Metcalf in March. Metcalf promptly signed a five-year contract .
Pickens brushed off the question of signing an extension before the end of his four-year rookie deal this season.
“I’m kind of where my feet are right now, to be honest,” Pickens said. “I’m not really thinking about contract talks.”
Pickens led the league by averaging 18.1 yards per catch in 2023 and has 174 receptions for 2,841 yards and 12 scores in 48 games. Lamb was a model of consistency and improvement his first four years, and now Pickens is trying to prove he can be reliable in his fourth year.
“It excites me a lot because ... we can work off each other,” Pickens said. “There’s no, ‘He gets the ball, I get the ball.’ We’re working off each other. That’s why I always come back to building a winning culture. And that’s kind of what we’ve been talking about in Dallas.”
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AP National Writer Will Graves in Pittsburgh contributed to this report.
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The Steelers move on from George Pickens by trading mercurial receiver to Cowboys By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer The Associated Press PITTSBURGH
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers have run out patience with wide receiver George Pickens , agreeing Wednesday on a trade that sends the talented but mercurial 24-year-old to the Dallas Cowboys .
The Steelers will get a third-round pick in the 2026 draft and a fifth-rounder in 2027. The Cowboys get a sixth-round choice in two years.
The trade was first reported by ESPN.
Pickens is about to enter the final year of the rookie deal he signed in 2022 when the Steelers took the former Georgia star in the second round. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Pickens has spent his first three seasons in the NFL being equal parts productive and petulant, mixing highlight-reel catches with bouts of immaturity along the way.
Pickens joins a Cowboys offense that could use another downfield threat to pair with star CeeDee Lamb. Dallas’ second-leading pass catcher behind Lamb last year was tight end Jake Ferguson, with Jalen Tolbert’s modest 49 receptions a distant third.
Dallas didn't address the need for a No. 2 receiver in the draft, with first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer saying he liked the youth that was already on the roster. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones made reference before the draft to “substantive” trades the Cowboys were pursuing. This qualifies as one.
The Steelers, particularly head coach Mike Tomlin, often backed Pickens as he endured what the team frequently described as a version of growing pains while he adjusted to life in the NFL.
Pickens has been one of the most dynamic receivers in the league when he's on the field and engaged, which is not always a given. Pickens led the league by averaging 18.1 yards per catch in 2023 and has 174 receptions for 2,841 yards and 12 scores in 48 games.
Yet he's also consistently struggled to keep his emotions in check. Last season alone he twice ended games by getting into dust-ups with opposing defensive backs, first when he grabbed Dallas' Jourdan Lewis by the facemask and then when he tussled with Cleveland's Greg Newsome II rather than try to get in position for a last-second Hail Mary.
That doesn't include a fine for using an expletive on his eye black against the Cowboys, a rule he said he was unaware of at the time . Pickens also drew widespread criticism in 2023 for what could generously be described as inattentive downfield blocking for his teammates.
Considering his volatility, the Steelers didn't seem interested in signing Pickens to a contract extension and he became expendable when they traded for two-time Pro Bowler DK Metcalf in March, whom they promptly signed to a five-year contract .
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AP Pro Football Writer Schuyler Dixon in Dallas contributed to this report.
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Jaguars release WR Gabe Davis, moving on 14 months after signing him to a $39M contract By MARK LONG AP Pro Football Writer The Associated Press JACKSONVILLE, Fla.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jacksonville Jaguars released veteran receiver Gabe Davis on Wednesday, moving on nearly 14 months after signing him to a three-year, $39 million contract in free agency.
The Jaguars designated it as a post-June 1 cut, meaning it will cost them $5.7 million against the salary cap in 2025 instead of $20.3 million. Nonetheless, Jacksonville's new decision makers clearly thought it would be better to to take on dead money than have Davis on the roster as a fourth or fifth receiver.
Davis, 26, is still recovering from a torn meniscus in his left knee sustained in mid-November and likely would have started the season on the physically unable to perform list. But he really became expendable once the Jaguars traded up to select two-way star Travis Hunter with the second pick in the NFL draft. They also signed speedy receiver Dyami Brown to a one-year, $10 million deal in free agency.
Throw in Brian Thomas Jr., who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, and the Jaguars didn't see how Davis would fit — especially since he didn't contribute much on special teams in five NFL seasons.
Davis played in 10 games last year, with nine starts, and finished with 20 receptions for 239 yards and two touchdowns. He caught 163 passes for 2,730 yards and 27 touchdowns in four years with Buffalo. He had six more TD receptions in the playoffs.
The 6-foot-2 Davis grew up in nearby Orlando and was supposed to be a bigger target for quarterback Trevor Lawrence. But his role never materialized despite a deal that included $24 million guaranteed, and first-time general manager James Gladstone and first-time head coach Liam Coen are moving forward with Hunter and Thomas as Lawrence's 1-2 punch for the foreseeable future.
Cutting Davis is the latest and most costly offensive adjustment made by Jacksonville's new regime. The team replaced two offensive linemen — retiring center Mitch Morse and guard Brandon Scherff — traded veteran receiver Christian Kirk to Houston and cut veteran tight end Evan Engram.
The Jags also drafted two linemen, two running backs and made a splashy move to get Hunter to replace some of the losses.
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Seahawks re-sign veteran defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins By ANDREW DESTIN AP Sports Writer The Associated Press SEATTLE
SEATTLE (AP) — Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins re-signed with the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday.
Hankins, 33, signed a one-year deal with the Seahawks as a free agent last year and is entering his 13th season in the NFL. Last season, Hankins appeared in all 17 games for the Seahawks and had 30 tackles, five tackles for loss and one sack.
“I like it here. Everything made sense,” Hankins said in a statement. “To be able to still be playing in Year 13, and obviously the organization wanted me back, so it just made sense.”
Hankins has played for four other NFL franchises in his career: the Raiders, Giants, Cowboys and Colts. He has had 433 tackles as well as 18 1/2 sacks.
Hankins will remain with a Seahawks defensive line that already has a good amount of depth. Prior to Hankins’ signing, the Seahawks already had Leonard Williams, Jarran Reed and Byron Murphy II under contract for the 2025 season.
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