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Dylan Sampson CLE RB
Browns' Dylan Sampson: Getting reps in receiving game
3d agoBrowns running backs coach Duce Staley said at mandatory minicamp in mid-June that Sampson has gotten work "as a running back and a receiver," Dan Labbe of cleveland.com reports.
Staley also said that Sampson has worked with wide receivers coach Chad O'Shea, and that the rookie fourth-round pick "is able to go play in the slot and also he's able to go and play on third down and maybe sprinkle in a little second down." The running backs coach also noted that fellow rookie RB Quinshon Judkins, whom the Browns drafted two rounds ahead of Sampson, will be "able to do a little something [...] at receiver, too." Meanwhile, incumbent Jerome Ford has already demonstrated tangible pass-catching chops, and Staley praised his "speed" and ability to "pick up the blitz and catch the ball." While all three of Cleveland's top running backs could see tangible usage in the passing game, Labbe hypothesizes that as things currently stand Judkins and Sampson project to lead the Browns' revamped backfield, with Ford serving as the No. 3 back. Sampson didn't catch many passes in college at Tennessee, including as the team's starter in 2024, so it would come as a surprise if he in fact beats out Ford for passing-down reps at training camp, but if the rookie fourth-rounder can manage that feat he'll have a clear path to fantasy relevance in Year 1, especially in PPR formats.
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Obo Okoronkwo CLE DE
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo: Let go by Browns
3d agoCleveland released Okoronkwo on Thursday, Kelsey Russo of the team's official site reports.
Okoronkwo had been under contract with the Browns for one more season via the three-year, $19 million deal he inked with the team in 2023, so his release is somewhat surprising even after a down year in 2024. He played a sizable rotational role in Cleveland's pass rush in both 2023 and 2024, finishing last year with 23 tackles (15 solo), including 3.0 sacks, plus one forced fumble while playing all 17 regular-season games. Okoronkwo will draw fair interest around the league for teams in need of a rotational contributor, and his departure opens up opportunities behind Myles Garrett with the Browns for all of Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Alex Wright and Isaiah McGuire.
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Cedric Tillman CLE WR
Browns' Cedric Tillman: Should have full-time role
3d agoTillman is expected to have a full-time role in 2025, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.
Other than inking a baggage-heavy Diontae Johnson to a one-year deal with zero guaranteed money, the Browns didn't do much during the offseason to upgrade the receiving corps. Tillman was having a breakout middle portion of the season in 2024 before a concussion forced him to miss the final six weeks -- he was back on the field for OTAs this summer. Following the departure of Amari Cooper last season, the Browns gave Tillman an opportunity, and he delivered. Over a four-game span, he caught 24 of 40 targets with three touchdowns. He's the biggest target (6-foot-3) among the receiving group and could be a factor in a passing game that may incorporate a lot of deep passes if Joe Flacco is the staring quarterback.
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Justin Fields NYJ QB
Jets' Justin Fields: Work ethic standing out
4d agoJets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand said during mandatory minicamp in mid-June that his "biggest takeaway" regarding Fields this offseason is that "the guy is just a workaholic," and that "he comes in early, he's here late, and he's trying to digest everything and download all the information and do things the right way," Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reports.
Fields has made a positive early impression on Engstrand and new head coach Aaron Glenn, with new top wideout Garrett Wilson also saying at minicamp that "[Fields] trusts me, I trust him, we've got a good communication, we speak to each other well, we know what the other is thinking and that's key." The Jets are hoping the reunion of Fields and Wilson will pay huge dividends, with the two having connected on 66 catches for 1,031 yards and nine touchdowns over 22 games while teammates at Ohio State from 2019 to 2020. Rather than splash plays, though, Fields' focus this offseason has been to improve his pre-snap processing and ability to make quick decisions, and Glenn praised the 26-year-old signal-caller's progress in cleaning up mistakes during minicamp, saying the goal is "no negative plays." Rosenblatt also reports that Fields' early leadership has helped him earn the trust of the locker room. Fields is positioned to enter the first season of his two-year, $40 million deal with the Jets as the team's clear starter, and if he can indeed grow as a passer, he'll have a chance to prove himself as a long-term option for Gang Green. Even if Fields' development in the pocket falls flat, he possesses the rushing ability to provide solid QB2 fantasy value with upside as long as he remains the starter.
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Quintez Cephus LAR WR
Quintez Cephus: Let go by Rams
4d agoLos Angeles waived Cephus on Wednesday.
Cephus spent last season on the Rams' practice squad, but he wasn't elevated to the active roster at any point. The fifth-year pro inked a reserve/future deal with the team in January, but he's now lost his grip on a spot on the 90-man roster and will have to search for an opportunity to compete elsewhere. Cephus last suited up for regular-season action in 2022, when he secured two of three targets for 15 yards across four appearances with Detroit.
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DeShon Elliott PIT SAF
Steelers' DeShon Elliott: Inks new three-year contract
5d agoElliot signed a new three-year contract with the Steelers on Tuesday, Teresa Varley of the team's official site reports.
It was initially reported by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network mid-June that Elliott and Pittsburgh had agreed to terms on a two-year, $12.5 million extension, but the safety's new deal is officially a three-year contract instead. In any case, Elliott is now positioned to remain with the Steelers long term rather than have his contract expire after the 2025 season. He tallied a career-high 108 tackles (72 solo), six pass breakups (including one interception), two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries across 15 regular-season games in 2024.
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Logan VanWey HOU RP
Astros' Logan VanWey: Healthy again at Triple-A
1h agoVanWey (undisclosed) struck out a batter and allowed no hits and no walks over a scoreless inning of relief for Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday after being reinstated from the 7-day injured list.
VanWey was out of action for Sugar Land for about a month before he was cleared to rejoin the Triple-A bullpen. The 25-year-old reliever was previously up with the Astros earlier this season and gave up six earned runs on 15 hits and three walks over 8.2 innings.
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Jose Ortiz SF CF
Giants' Jose Ortiz: Stuck on IL at Single-A
1h agoSingle-A San Jose placed Ortiz on its 7-day injured list in April due to an unspecified injury.
Ortiz initially appeared to be in line for a brief stay on the shelf, as he was cleared to begin a rehab assignment in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League on May 13. The 20-year-old outfielder went 3-for-17 games over five games in Arizona but hasn't played since May 20, which indicates that he experienced a setback at some point along the way.
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Jesse Scholtens CHW RP
White Sox's Jesse Scholtens: Removed from rehab assignment
1h agoThe White Sox pulled Scholtens off his minor-league rehab assignment after he experienced discomfort in his surgically repaired right elbow following his most recent start June 4 with Triple-A Charlotte, MLB.com reports.
Before being shut down, Scholtens had compiled a 5.96 ERA, 1.59 WHIP and 15:9 K:BB in 22.2 innings across his six rehab starts between Charlotte and High-A Winston-Salem. Given that Scholtens underwent Tommy John surgery last February, the White Sox are likely to proceed cautiously with Scholtens before sending him back out on a rehab assignment. Scholtens' lone big-league action previously came with the White Sox back in 2023, when he submitted a 5.29 ERA in 85 innings over 26 appearances (11 starts).
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Ken Waldichuk ATH SP
Athletics' Ken Waldichuk: Reaches third inning in rehab start
1h agoWaldichuk (elbow) gave up two runs (one earned) on one hit and two walks while striking out one batter over 2.1 innings in his rehab start Saturday with Triple-A Las Vegas.
After tossing three shutout innings in his first rehab outing with Single-A Stockton on June 22, Waldichuk moved up to Triple-A for his second appearance. Though he wasn't nearly as efficient Saturday as he had been in his previous outing, Waldichuk pushed up his pitch count from 42 to 51. The Athletics appear prepared to let Waldichuk get stretched out for a starting role during his rehab assignment, but his performance will likely determine whether he enters the big-league rotation once he's activated from the 60-day injured list. Waldichuk has been on the shelf all season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent last May.
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Michel Otanez ATH RP
Athletics' Michel Otanez: On shelf at Triple-A
1h agoTriple-A Las Vegas placed Otanez on its 7-day injured list June 8 due to an unspecified injury.
The 27-year-old right-hander possesses a spot on the Athletics' 40-man roster but had been with Las Vegas since late May after getting optioned. Otanez owns a 5.40 ERA, 2.26 WHIP and 9:6 K:BB in 6.2 innings over seven relief appearances with the Triple-A club this season.
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Alexander Albertus CHW 3B
White Sox's Alexander Albertus: Returns from IL
2h agoSingle-A Kannapolis activated Albertus (tibia) from its 7-day injured list Tuesday.
Albertus has yet to make his debut for Kannapolis, but he's apparently healthy again after he recently wrapped up an eight-game rehab assignment in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League, during which he slashed .333/.520/.444 with three stolen bases across 25 plate appearances. Acquired last July in a three-team deal with the Dodgers and Cardinals, Albertus didn't make his organizational debut with the White Sox until earlier this month while completing his recovery from surgery to reset a fractured left tibia.
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Jabari Smith HOU PF
Rockets' Jabari Smith: Expected to sign extension
11m agoSmith intends to sign a five-year, $122 million rookie contract extension, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.
Smith is set to remain in Houston on a long-term deal. The Rockets have had a busy start to the offseason, resigning numerous free agents, bringing in Kevin Durant and extending Steven Adams as well as Smith. Smith shifted to a reserve role down the stretch last season after starting every game over his first two years in the league, but still averaged 12.2 points and 7.0 rebounds in 30.1 minutes per contest over 57 regular-season appearances. The addition of Kevin Durant raises questions about how Smith will be utilized, but the large commitment from the front office suggests the 22-year-old will remain a key piece.
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Luka Garza MIN PF
Luka Garza: Team option not extended
2h agoThe Timberwolves declined their team option for Garza on Sunday, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.
Garza is now set to hit free agency and explore opportunities elsewhere. The 26-year-old big man has struggled to find a consistent role through his first four seasons and saw just 5.6 minutes per game across 39 appearances during the 2024-25 campaign.
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Josh Minott MIN SF
Josh Minott: Team optioned declined
2h agoThe Timberwolves intend to decline Minott's $2.19 million team option, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.
Minott will have the ability to sign with whichever team that wants his services in free agency. The 2022 second-rounder saw sparse playing time during the 2024-25 regular season, averaging 2.6 points and 1.0 rebounds over 6.0 minutes per game.
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Santi Aldama MEM PF
Grizzlies' Santi Aldama: Receives qualifying offer
2h agoThe Grizzlies tendered Aldama's one-year $5.94 million qualifying offer Sunday, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.
Aldama will be a restricted free agent with the qualifying offer being extended. He is coming off the best year of his career, in which he averaged 12.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 25.5 minutes per game across 65 appearances, including 16 starts.
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Chuma Okeke CLE PF
Chuma Okeke: Team optioned declined
3h agoThe Cavaliers declined their $2.55 million team option in Okeke's contract for 2025-26 on Sunday, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.
Okeke is now set to explore other opportunities in unrestricted free agency. The 26-year-old forward latched on with the Cavaliers in April 2025 on a one-year deal with a team option for a second season. He spent time with both Philadelphia and Cleveland during the 2024-25 campaign, averaging 5.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists across 21.8 minutes per game in nine regular-season appearances (three starts).
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Pat Spencer GS PG
Pat Spencer: Will be unrestricted free agent
3h agoThe Warriors did not extend a qualifying offer for Spencer, Danny Emerman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
That will make Spencer an unrestricted free agent, which will allow him to explore his options and sign with a team in need of guard depth. After playing in just six regular-season games in 2023-24, Spencer had more of a run with the Warriors during the 2024-25 campaign. He played in 39 regular-season games last year, averaging 2.5 points, 1.2 assists and 1.2 rebounds over 6.4 minutes per contest.
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Jack Rathbone BUF D
Sabres' Jack Rathbone: Inks two-year deal with Buffalo
10m agoRathbone signed a two-year, $1.6 million contract with the Sabres on Sunday, per PuckPedia.
Rathbone made 63 regular-season appearances with AHL Rochester in 2024-25, registering six goals, 23 points, 51 PIM and a plus-9 rating. The 26-year-old blueliner will most likely continue to provide organizational depth for the Americans next season. His last NHL appearance came with Vancouver in 2022-23.
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Matthew Knies TOR LW
Maple Leafs' Matthew Knies: Locked in with Leafs
3h agoKnies signed a six-year, $46.5 million contract extension with the Maple Leafs on Sunday, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports.
Knies would have been offer-sheet eligible July 1, so Toronto prioritized getting a long-term contract done with the 22-year-old winger, who broke out for 29 goals and 29 assists in 78 games during the 2024-25 regular season. Knies operated primarily as the top-line left wing on a line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. With Marner likely headed elsewhere this offseason, more of the offensive load could fall on Knies.
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Claude Giroux OTT LW
Senators' Claude Giroux: Signs one-year contract
5h agoGiroux signed a one-year, $2 million contract with Ottawa on Sunday.
If Giroux achieves all of his bonuses, he could earn up to $4.75 million. The 37-year-old forward generated 15 goals, 35 assists and 138 shots on net across 81 appearances in the 2024-25 regular season. Giroux should occupy a top-six role and see time on the power play in the 2025-26 campaign.
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Jakub Lauko BOS C
Bruins' Jakub Lauko: Will not get QO
6h agoLauko will not be tendered a qualifying offer and will become an unrestricted free agent July 1, Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald reports Sunday.
Lauko battled injuries but played 56 NHL games last season, scoring five goals and adding six assists. The 25-year-old, who was a pending restricted free agent, will now be free to sign with any team without penalty as an unrestricted free agent once free agency opens. His injury issues might scare some teams off, but he proved to be an effective player who brought speed and skill to the bottom six when he was in the lineup.
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Ville Husso ANA G
Ducks' Ville Husso: Inks two-year extension
6h agoHusso signed a two-year, $4.4 million contract extension with the Ducks on Sunday, Chris Johnston of The Athletic reports.
Husso was a midseason acquisition via trade by the Ducks from the Red Wings, but the goaltender appeared in just four games at the NHL level with Anaheim. The 30-year-old spent most of his brief time in the Ducks organization so far with AHL San Diego, where me made nine starts. Even after the trade of John Gibson, the Ducks still hold the rights to goaltenders Petr Mrazek and pending RFA Lukas Dostal, leaving a lot of competition for starts moving forward and potentially a lot of one-way money tied up between the three of them.
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Michael Callahan BOS D
Bruins' Michael Callahan: Lands two-way deal
7h agoCallahan signed a one-year, two-way contract with Boston on Sunday.
Callahan had one goal and nine points in 45 regular-season appearances with AHL Providence in 2024-25 before adding two assists in eight playoff outings. The 25-year-old defenseman also registered one goal, nine shots on net, eight hits and 12 blocked shots in 17 NHL games for Boston during the 2024-25 regular season. Callahan will probably spend most of the 2025-26 campaign in the minors.