Falcons President of Football Matt Ryan 'Excited' About QB Michael Penix Jr.

The health and projection of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is the most pivotal factor in the Atlanta Falcons' future. Selected by Atlanta with the No. 8 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Penix has started just 12 games over his first two seasons due to a combination of being behind veteran Kirk Cousins for the majority of 2024 and partially tearing his ACL in November of last season. Where is the soon-to-be third-year quarterback in his recovery? New Falcons president of football and franchise royalty Matt Ryan pulled back the curtain on the matter. "I have had the opportunity to sit with Michael and, you know, No. 1, how do we bring him along? You get healthy first. The first thing you've got to do is get yourself in a place where we can practice and do that. So, job No. 1 for Michael is to keep doing exactly what he's doing. He's been in our building doing his rehab. He's in a good place right now," Ryan said about Penix in an interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Thursday. "As a former player, like, it never leaves me. Everybody's like, 'When is he going to be back?' Well, you don't know. There's ups and downs that come with that rehab space, but we feel like we're on track and in a good space with Michael right now." As for what's to come, Ryan is bullish on Penix, especially with the coaching staff that Atlanta has put around him. "To me, it always comes down to the fundamentals. Do we start with our feet? I know in that interview process, [quarterbacks coach] Alex [Van Pelt] is going to hammer the footwork and going to hammer getting the basics right. So, it starts with the basics. Michael does a great job," Ryan said. "He can spin the football. We're excited about what he does, and we're excited about the staff we're putting around him." Across the nine games that he appeared in last season, Penix totaled 1,982 passing yards, nine passing touchdowns, three interceptions and an 88.5 passer rating, while completing 60.1% of his passes. The year prior (three starts and five appearances altogether), Penix posted a 78.9 passer rating and completed 58.1% of his passes. In college, Penix spent the first four seasons of his career at Indiana (2018-21) before transferring to Washington and shining. Across his two seasons with the Huskies (2022-23), Penix averaged 4,772 passing yards, 33.5 passing touchdowns, 9.5 interceptions and a 154.2 passer rating per season, while completing 65.4% of his passes. In 2023, Penix led Washington to a Pac-12 title, an appearance in the College Football Playoff National Championship and was the runner-up for the 2023 Heisman Trophy Award. Regarding the coaching staff around Penix, Van Pelt comes to Atlanta after being a senior offensive assistant for the Los Angeles Rams last season and offensive coordinator stints with the New England Patriots (2024), Cleveland Browns (2020-23) and Buffalo Bills (2009), among many other offensive assistant roles. Of course, Van Pelt is the quarterbacks coach for new Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski, who was previously the head coach of the Browns from 2020-25; Van Pelt coached under Stefanski in Cleveland from 2020-23. Stefanski's offensive coordinator is Tommy Rees, who was the Browns' offensive coordinator under Stefanski last season and coached in Cleveland from 2024-25. Rees had previous offensive coordinator stints at Alabama (2023) and Notre Dame (2020-22).

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2026 NFL Free Agency: Where Will Mike Evans Play in 2026? 5 Best Fits for Bucs WR

Six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans will be back for a 13th NFL season in 2026, his agent confirmed Tuesday. So, the big question now is whether he'll finish his career where he's played all of it so far in Tampa. The Buccaneers remain the odds-on favorite for Evans, a rare top-tier receiver who's only played for one team in his entire career. Of the receivers ranking in the top 10 all-time in career touchdown receptions, only two — Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals) and Marvin Harrison (Colts) — retired with the same team that drafted them. So, Evans could join a rare company if he re-signs with the Bucs. While Evans' streak of 1,000-yard seasons ended in 2025, he's still set to be one of the top free agents this offseason. He came in at No. 15 on my top 100 NFL free agents list earlier in the offseason, ranking third among the wide receivers set to become available. Evans just finished a two-year, $45 million contract, and he'll be 33 when the upcoming season starts, so his next contract might end up a little lower from an annual value standpoint. His valuations are all over the map, though. The Athletic just projected him at $51 million for two years, while Spotrac has him at just over $13 million a year; Pro Football Focus gave him a one-year, $18 million deal. So we offer up five potential landing spots for Evans. Will he be a lifetime Buc like Ronde Barber and Derrick Brooks, or finish a Hall of Fame career elsewhere like John Lynch and Warren Sapp? 5. New England Patriots New England went from 4-13 to playing in the Super Bowl in a single season, and they did it without a true star on the receiving end of Drake Maye's passes. Stefon Diggs could be cut with a big contract and modest returns, and if they did that, it would cost close to the same to bring in Evans, who is the same age as Diggs but has had a much more consistent NFL career. For comparison, the Patriots haven't had a receiver get 10 touchdowns in a season since Randy Moss in 2009, while Evans has done it six times in that span. 4. Houston Texans The key here is that Evans is from Galveston, Texas, less than an hour from Houston, and spends part of his offseason back in his home state, so this wouldn't be a departure to a strange city he doesn't know. Had he not decided to re-sign with the Bucs two years ago, the Texans were in play, and their success last season with perhaps the NFL's top defense doesn't hurt them. Houston went 12-5 last year and won a playoff game, so they qualify as the kind of playoff contender he would want to play for at the end of his career. They already have two 6-foot-4 standout receivers in Nico Collins and Jayden Higgins, so you could argue Houston might prefer a speed threat more than adding even more size to their receiving corps. The Texans also have limited cap space and other positional needs that arguably have more urgency. 3. Kansas City Chiefs The Chiefs have an MVP quarterback in Patrick Mahomes without a true No. 1 receiver — in the three seasons since they traded Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins, no Kansas City receiver has caught more than seven touchdowns in any year. If tight end Travis Kelce does retire, there's a greater need for star power in the passing game, and having played for Tom Brady, Evans will appreciate being able to have one of the very best passers throwing you the ball. Rashee Rice's off-field problems could add to the immediacy to upgrade at receiver, and while they're still over the cap even after restructuring of Mahomes' contract, they have other moves they could make to facilitate a contract like Evans will command. If Mahomes is healthy again, they'll be a contender and their need for receiver help could make them a potential match. 2. Buffalo Bills Buffalo sure could use a No. 1 receiver, just like Kansas City. Despite having an MVP-caliber quarterback in Josh Allen, the Bills haven't had a receiver get more than five touchdowns in a season over the last two years. They're moving into a brand-new stadium this fall, so it's nice to make a splash signing to add extra buzz around the team, and the offensive shift with coordinator Joe Brady getting promoted to head coach would mesh well with adding a high-profile receiver to their talented offense. Would Evans like to play in the cold after 12 years in sunny Florida? Cold weather might not be ideal for a player with persistent hamstring injuries, and the Bills are over the salary cap right now, so they'd need some maneuvering to add a pricey receiver, though a second, non-guaranteed year or void years could lower the immediate cap hit involved in signing Evans. 1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Evans is the best offensive player in Tampa Bay history — no offense to Tom Brady's three years with the Bucs — and has rewritten all of their receiving records. He's been the team's Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee four times and has consistently expressed a desire to be a "Buc for life," playing only for Tampa. General manager Jason Licht, whose very first pick on the job was taking Evans in 2014, has said the same, with a reputation of rewarding his team's best players by keeping them in town. But the Bucs have other positional needs, like edge rusher and linebacker, and they have solid depth even without Evans at receiver, with Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan back healthy for 2026, and Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson still developing after combining for 11 touchdown catches as rookies. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has lobbied for Evans to come back for another season as well, and the offense is much more dangerous when Evans and his 108 career touchdowns are occupying a defense's priorities. Is the news this week that Evans will explore free agency just agent-driven leverage, trying to get a little more from the Bucs with the idea there's competition for his services? Or could he really finish his career in another uniform? That will be answered in less than a month, when free agency opens and players can talk to new teams starting March 9.

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2026 NFL Draft No. 2 Pick Odds: Arvell Reese Favored, Ty Simpson Longshot

Based on the odds, Indiana's Fernando Mendoza is a shoo-in to be the first name called in April's NFL Draft. The Hoosiers quarterback had a dynamic season, to say the absolute least. He passed for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns and secured the Heisman back in December. Then in January, Mendoza led his team to a 27-21 win over Miami to capture the College Football Playoff championship. It's easy to understand why Fernando is the heavy favorite to be drafted No. 1. But when it comes to which player will be drafted second, the outlook is not quite as clear. Let's take a look at the lines at Oddschecker.com as of Feb. 18 for which player could be selected second in the 2025 NFL Draft. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. NFL Draft 2026 Second Pick Betting Odds Arvell Reese (Ohio State): +120 (bet $10 to win $22 total)David Bailey (Texas Tech): +250 (bet $10 to win $35 total)Rueben Bain, Jr (Miami).: +450 (bet $10 to win $55 total)Caleb Downs (Ohio State): +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)Ty Simpson (Alabama): +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)Francis Mauigoa (Miami): +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)Mansoor Delane (LSU): +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)Keldric Faulk (Auburn) +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)Spencer Fano (Utah): +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)Carnell Tate (Ohio State): +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)Kadyn Proctor (Alabama): +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total) Here's what to know about the oddsboard: The Buckeye, The Raider: Cleveland native Arvell Reese could be trading his Buckeye Scarlet for Gang Green if the New York Jets draft him with the second pick. At the beginning of the season, Gus Johnson acknowledged the linebacker as the first player to his "Got It" team for being a devastating talent on the field. Additionally, Joel Klatt put Reese at No. 2 in his latest draft projections. In 2024 and 2025 combined, he had 52 solo tackles and assisted on 60. The 6-foot-4 Reese had seven total tackles in the Buckeyes' semifinal loss to Miami, including three solo. Right behind him on the board is Texas Tech's David Bailey. The 6-foot-3 linebacker spent his first three seasons at Stanford before transferring to Tech in 2025. As a Red Raider, he racked up 32 solo tackles, assisted on 20 and had three defended passes. Case for a QB: Ty Simpson's odds to go second are on the longer side, but the Jets are in need of a quarterback. So could he be in play here? According to FOX Sports NFL Reporter Greg Auman, New York could move off of current QB Justin Fields, which might make room for a signal-caller like Simpson. However, Klatt projects the Crimson Tide QB will go toward the bottom of the first round to Pittsburgh. In 2025, Simpson passed for 3,567 yards, had 28 TDs and helped lead Bama to the CFP, where the Tide lost 38-3 in their Rose Bowl quarterfinal game to Indiana.

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Raiders Should Trade No. 1 Pick, Rights To Draft Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza

Everything is setting up for the Las Vegas Raiders to select Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Raiders need a quarterback and have an opportunity to select the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. Mendoza wants to play for the franchise, too. However, FOX Sports' Danny Parkins doesn't think it'd be a good idea for the Raiders to draft Mendoza. On Tuesday's "First Things First," Parkins iterated that the Indiana quarterback isn't good enough of a prospect for the Raiders to use the No. 1 pick on him, believing Las Vegas is better off trading the selection. "Given how many holes the Raiders have and the comp for Mendoza seems to be that he's a Jared Goff type who's a little faster, but with a little worse arm — that can miss," Parkins said. "That's [not what the quarterbacks in the NFL look like today]. That can miss." While Mendoza seems to be the clear favorite to be the No. 1 draft pick, he doesn't seem to be viewed in the same light as other top quarterback prospects in recent years. Both FOX Sports NFL Draft expert Rob Rang and analyst Bucky Brooks compared Mendoza to Goff, but Brooks has some questions on whether he can be a difference maker at the next level. Still, Mendoza seems to be the clear-cut top quarterback prospect in this year's draft. Mendoza was the only quarterback to go in the first round in Rang's most recent mock draft. FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt, meanwhile, only had one quarterback other than Mendoza go in the first round of his most recent mock draft. He had the Pittsburgh Steelers taking Alabama's Ty Simpson with the No. 21 pick. So, with a lack of other high-end quarterback prospects in this year's draft, Parkins believes that the Raiders can get a haul for the No. 1 pick. "This draft, there might be more demand than there is supply," Parkins said. "If you can put up the rights to Mendoza for the Jets, Steelers, Dolphins and anyone that needs a quarterback, you can get a heist for him." The last time the first overall pick in the NFL Draft was traded was in 2023, when the Carolina Panthers moved from No. 9 to No. 1 to draft Bryce Young. The Chicago Bears got the No. 9 and No. 61 overall picks in the 2023 draft, plus the Panthers' 2024 first-round pick, 2025 second-round pick and wide receiver DJ Moore for the No. 1 pick. The 2024 first-round pick Carolina gave up ended up being the No. 1 overall pick, which Chicago used to select quarterback Caleb Williams. The Bears also turned the No. 9 pick they got in the 2023 draft into All-Pro right tackle Darnell Wright, with that trade helping Chicago win the NFC North this past season. And as Parkins compared Mendoza to Goff, the Los Angeles Rams actually traded up for the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft in order to select Goff. The Rams gave the Tennessee Titans a first-round pick (No. 15 overall), two second-round picks (No. 43, 45) and a third-round pick (No. 76) in the 2016 draft, plus a 2017 first-round pick and a 2017 third-round pick as part of a deal to draft Goff. Los Angeles was able to make it to a Super Bowl with Goff, but that trade also worked out for Tennessee. The Titans used the picks they got in that trade to draft running back Derrick Henry, offensive tackle Jack Conklin and others who turned out to be core pieces for a Tennessee team that made the playoffs in three straight seasons (2019-21). So, recent history does suggest that trading the No. 1 overall pick could be smart, and that might be what's needed to jump start a Raiders franchise that's won seven games over the last two seasons.

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Veteran WR Robert Woods Signs 1-Day Contract To Retire With His Hometown Rams

Veteran receiver Robert Woods has signed a one-day contract to retire with his hometown Los Angeles Rams. Woods announced his retirement decision Tuesday on social media after a 13-year NFL career spent with five teams. The Rams swiftly added that Woods is retiring as a member of the team with which he spent five productive years and won a Super Bowl. "It's time for me to step away from the sport that has given me everything," Woods wrote. "Football has never just been a game to me — it has been my passion, my purpose and my lifelong dream. I cherished every moment my cleats touched the grass. Every time I stepped onto the field, I was determined to leave a piece of myself in every snap." The 33-year-old Woods is a native of suburban Carson who became an All-American at the University of Southern California before spending his first four NFL seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He had the best seasons of his career back home in Los Angeles after he signed with the Rams during the franchise's fateful 2017 offseason — when the team also hired coach Sean McVay, signed stalwart left tackle Andrew Whitworth and drafted fellow receiver Cooper Kupp. Woods had 367 catches for 4,626 yards and 23 touchdowns during his five seasons with the Rams, putting up the only two 1,000-yard seasons of his career and serving as a dependable bookend to the prolific Kupp while catching passes from Jared Goff. Woods topped 85 catches and 900 yards in three consecutive seasons from 2018-20, and he had five catches for 70 yards in the Rams' loss to New England in the Super Bowl in February 2019. Woods was having another productive year with Matthew Stafford and the Rams in 2021 when he tore a knee ligament during practice in November, ending his season. The Rams went on to win the Super Bowl with Odell Beckham Jr. filling in for Woods, who had signed a lucrative contract extension in 2020. But the Rams traded Woods to Tennessee in the ensuing offseason, and he spent one season with the Titans before two years with the Houston Texans. He went to training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers last summer, but didn't make their roster and spent last season out of the league. "This game gave me memories, brotherhood and a legacy I am forever proud of," Woods wrote. "I walk away deeply grateful and fulfilled." Woods is still USC's career leader with 252 receptions over his three seasons with the Trojans. His 32 TD catches are second in school history, and his 2,930 yards receiving are seventh. Reporting by The Associated Press

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Heisman Winner Fernando Mendoza Says He'd Be 'Blessed And Honored' To Play For Raiders

Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza is now starting to shift his mindset toward the NFL, which really was his goal when he transferred to Indiana. Mendoza and the Hoosiers just happened to have a perfect season together that ended with an improbable national championship. "It’s been a whirlwind," Mendoza said Monday night before receiving the Davey O’Brien Award as the nation’s top college quarterback. "I think now it’s finally settled in, and the dust has started to settle. The national championship, and then boom, next thing you know you’re on a new chapter." The latest award ceremony for Mendoza, the transfer from Cal who grew up a few miles from Miami (Fla.)'s campus, came exactly four weeks after Indiana won its first national championship 27-21 over the Hurricanes in their home stadium. It was also a week before the NFL combine, and just over two months from the opening night of the draft on April 23, when Mendoza very well could be the No. 1 overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders and their new coach. "I'd be blessed and honored to play for the Raiders, or I'd be blessed to play for any team," he said. "Any NFL team that drafts me, I'd be ecstatic. I know at the draft, I'll probably shed a tear or two just because it's such a full-circle moment for me. ... The goal of transferring to Indiana was to make the NFL. It wasn’t to be a great college player. It was to try to develop into being an NFL quarterback one day." [2026 NFL DRAFT: How Raiders HC Klint Kubiak Can Maximize Fernando Mendoza’s Potential] Mendoza threw for 3,535 yards and an FBS-leading 41 touchdowns while completing 273 of 379 passes (72%) with only six interceptions. He had 4,712 yards passing and 30 touchdowns in 20 games over two seasons at Cal, which gave him a late scholarship offer after he had been prepared out of high school to "put myself into student debt" to play football at Yale — since no athletic scholarships are offered in the Ivy League — because he loved the game so much. Now the 22-year-old QB is preparing to move on to the highest level, knowing that college success won't automatically translate to the pros. "College is great, but that part's behind me," he said. "I feel like I've been satisfied with my college career. However, now I'm on to the NFL career. It requires a new skill set. It's a grown man's league." When Mendoza accepted the Heisman Trophy in December, his intention was to keep the trophy in Bloomington forever, where he felt it belonged. It wasn’t until a couple of weeks later, when the Heisman Trophy was in a case on the Indiana campus, that he realized he also got one of his own to keep. "Then I took it back home, and so it’s in my living room, which is great," he said. "Think about that decoration." He even took his trophy to St. Paul Catholic Center in Bloomington, where he regularly attended Mass, to share with the church leaders around Christmas. He also hopes to take the trophy to his high school in Miami. [COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Let's Debate: 6 Burning Questions for College Football in 2026] The ceremony for the Davey O'Brien Award, named for the former TCU quarterback and 1938 Heisman winner, is held only a few miles from the TCU campus. That is also where the quarterback who likely will replace Mendoza was a starter the past three seasons. Josh Hoover threw for 9,629 yards and 71 touchdowns over 36 games for the Horned Frogs before leaving in the portal for Indiana even before the national championship game. Mendoza said he hadn't had the opportunity to speak with Hoover, and said any advice he would have for his successor would be given in person. Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Dolphins Cleaning House: WR Tyreek Hill Reportedly Released by Miami

The Miami Dolphins have made it clear they're turning the page and entering a new era. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill has been released by the Dolphins, ESPN reported Monday. The news came shortly after it was reported that the team plans to cut edge rusher Bradley Chubb. Miami is also reportedly cutting guard James Daniels and wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Following his release, Hill is now FOX Sports' 27th-best free agent this offseason and the seventh-best wide receiver set to hit the open market. With Hill getting cut, the Dolphins will save $22.8 million in cap space. Hill, who'll turn 32 in March, had one season remaining on his three-year, $90 million deal. Hill from a dislocated knee and an ACL tear he suffered early in the 2025 season. That injury ended Hill's season after four games, and it also ended his streak of seasons with 800-plus receiving yards at eight. Hill was traded to the Miami Dolphins from the Kansas City Chiefs ahead of the 2022 season. He continued to be one of the game's top wide receivers while he was in Miami, and was arguably the top wide receiver in the NFL for a bit. He was named first-team All-Pro twice in his four years in Miami, logging 4,733 receiving yards and 28 total touchdowns during that time. Miami's decisions to move on from Hill, Chubb and other veteran players came after it hired a new head of football operations and head coach. It hired Green Bay Packers executive Jon-Eric Sullivan to replace Chris Grier as its general manager and Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to replace Mike McDaniel at head coach. The Dolphins decided to make those moves following a 7-10 season, which caused them to miss the playoffs for a second straight year. In totality, the Dolphins cleared $66.98 million in cap space and over $56 million in 2026 cap space with the moves they made on Monday.

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