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Player Notes

  • Officially named starting QB
    Coach Matt Eberflus named Williams' the Bears' starting quarterback at rookie minicamp Friday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

    Advice: Williams, the No. 1 overall pick of April's draft, was always a lock to start Week 1 over Tyson Bagent or Brett Rypien, but the team has wasted no time making Williams' position official, with Friday being the first day of on-field workouts for rookies. That allows Williams to immediately begin familiarizing himself with Chicago's offensive scheme without having to worry about splitting any reps. He can start establishing chemistry with fellow top-10 selection Rome Odunze during rookie camp, while veterans DJ Moore and Keenan Allen -- who both worked out with Williams and Odunze during the pre-draft process -- stand to arrive at team facilities for the start of OTAs. Rotowire.com Today, 9:31 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    110th
  • Minshew and O’Connell to compete for starting job
    Raiders GM Tom Telesco said Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell are expected to compete for the starting job in training camp.

    Advice: This was the presumed next step after the Raiders opted not to select a quarterback in this year’s draft. Playing in a division that includes Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, it goes without saying that the combination of Minshew/O’Connell is far from ideal, but both quarterbacks were solid in 2023, with Minshew nearly leading the Colts to a playoff berth. In 17 games, Minshew threw for 3305-15-9 last season while leading his team to a 7-6 record over 13 starts. O’Connell became the Raiders full-time starter in Week 9 and led the team to a 5-4 record over that span while throwing for 1905-11-5 in those nine games. Neither quarterback is built for shootouts vs. high-powered offenses, but they’re effective game managers who can give their team a chance to win any game within reach. Head coach Antonio Pierce said O’Connell has “earned the right to get the first snap,” but Minshew will almost certainly get some reps as things progress. Rotoworld Today, 7:11 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    218th
  • Will Levis expects more varied passing attack
    Will Levis expects a more varied passing attack under new coach Brian Callahan.

    Advice: Although Levis said he expects a balanced attack, he also believes the Titans will have “a lot of drop-back game in situations where we might not have seen that last year.” He also emphasized “we’re gonna throw the ball on first down.” In other words, the Titans are ditching Mike Vrabel’s archaic approach and even if they aren’t passing “harder,” they will be passing “smarter.” As astute observers of the modern game know, it’s not so much about volume as sequencing. Levis might not have a sophomore step forward to take, but he is at least going to be put in better position to succeed between his upgraded supporting cast and seemingly updated offensive philosophy. Rotoworld Yesterday, 4:45 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    171st
  • Waived by New Orleans
    The Saints waived Mond on Wednesday, Field Yates of ESPN reports.

    Advice: Mond signed with New Orleans prior to the 2024 NFL Draft, but he ends up the odd man out in the team's quarterback room after the addition of fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler. A 2021 third-round selection, Mond will look for an opportunity to compete for a depth role elsewhere this offseason. Rotowire.com Wednesday, 1:40 pm
    Kellen MondInd - QB
    Bye
    Player Note
    NA
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    2184th
  • Let go by Denver
    The Broncos plan to cut DiNucci on Wednesday, Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post reports.

    Advice: DiNucci, who spent the 2023 season on the Broncos' practice squad, was elevated to the team's gameday roster three times, but didn't log any regular-season snaps. With DiNucci no longer in the mix, the Broncos are left with Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson as their quarterbacks. Rotowire.com Wednesday, 10:18 am
    Ben DiNucciDen - QB
    Bye
    Player Note
    NA
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    2165th
  • Finally gets No. 3 receiver
    Tagovailoa's top wide receivers, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, will be joined in 2024 by Odell Beckham, who signed a one-year contract with the Dolphins on Wednesday.

    Advice: Miami added offensive tackle Patrick Paul in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft to help Tagovailoa stay upright, a key move following the departure of Robert Hunt to Carolina, but the team's only notable skill-position pickups this offseason were sixth-round wideout Malik Washington and fourth-round running back Jaylen Wright. Adding an experienced veteran in Beckham should finally provide Miami's offense with a reliable third starting wideout, something the team has lacked since head coach Mike McDaniel's arrival in 2022. As Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com notes, beyond the top tandem of Hill and Waddle, no receiver has logged more than 32 catches or 417 yards in the McDaniel era. The arrival of Beckham, and to a lesser degree, tight end Jonnu Smith, promises to finally provide Tagovailoa with more reliable playmakers beyond his top two options. Rotowire.com Wednesday, 7:14 am
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    96th
  • Giants claim QB Nathan Rourke
    Giants claimed QB Nathan Rourke off waivers from the Patriots.

    Advice: Rourke is a former CFL star, passing for 3,349 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions with the BC Lions in 2022. He signed with the Jaguars for 2023, but was released towards the end of the season. The Patriots briefly scooped up Rourke, who was the odd man out after April’s draft saw Drake Maye and Joe Milton both join the Pats. Rourke now joins Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, and Tommy DeVito in the Giants’ quarterback room. Rotoworld Tuesday, 3:43 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    2185th
  • Burrow on wrist: ‘I felt good the last two days’
    Joe Burrow said, “I felt good the last two days,” when asked about his recovery from wrist surgery.

    Advice: Burrow has now been spotted throwing on back-to-back days and continues to show improvement from last year’s season-ending wrist surgery. The fifth-year quarterback noted that “There is always going to be some pain when you’re coming back from injury,” but said on days he’s feeling good, he’s “going to go.” Burrow also added that he expects his recovery to continue up until training camp, so it’s safe to say he’s not quite out of the woods yet. Still, it’s yet another encouraging sign for Burrow and the Bengals, who are eyeing big things in 2024 if all key contributors can stay healthy. Rotoworld Tuesday, 1:01 pm
    Joe BurrowCin - QB
    Bye
    Player Note
    Q
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    58th
  • Competition for QB2
    Haener appears to be the early frontrunner to serve as the QB2 for the Saints this offseason, John Hendrix of Sports Illustrated reports.

    Advice: Haener was suspended for the first six games of his 2023 campaign and has yet to make his NFL debut. However, the 6-foot-1 signal-caller should have a chance to establish himself as QB2 after New Orleans made several changes at the quarterback position this offseason. Last year's No. 2 QB Jameis Winston signed with the Colts in March. Meanwhile, the Saints signed veteran backup Nathan Peterman and fourth-year pro Kellen Mond this offseason before selecting Spencer Rattler in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Carr is still clearly set as the starter, but the competition to be his primary reserve figures to be wide open this offseason. Haener's experience within the Saints' quarterback room should give him an immediate leg up on Peterman, Mond and Rattler. The 33-year-old Taysom Hill also is listed as a quarterback by the Saints, but he's better described as a multi-use player who regularly slots in at positions across the offense and special teams. It's highly unlikely that the team will carry more than three quarterbacks on the active roster during the 2024 campaign. Therefore, it will be worth monitoring how this competition shapes up during offseason workouts and training camp while projecting this QB depth chart. Rotowire.com Monday, 8:13 pm
    Week 1 Projected Rank
    2186th