After missing 11 straight games in Utah’s 2023 season due to injury, Ute running back Micah Bernard returned to the field for the Las Vegas Bowl. “I wanted to play in that game strictly to show everybody I’m back. I’m going to be able to do this,” Bernard said. Bernard scored Utah’s only touchdown in a 14-7 loss to Northwestern, …

The Cardinals agreed to terms with free agent offensive tackle Jonah Williams on Wednesday. He will replace D.J. Humphries, who the Cardinals officially released after nine seasons. Humphries is rehabbing from a torn ACL on New Year’s Eve against the Eagles, so he will not be ready for the start of the 2024 season. The Cardinals will save roughly $9 …

Free agent guard Nick Leverett has agreed to terms with the Patriots, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports. Leverett, 27, joined the Bucs as an undrafted free agent in 2020, and he played 16 games with 10 starts in his time with Tampa Bay. He played only three games last season, seeing action on only four special teams snaps. The bulk …

Kendricks’ Cowboys decision leaves 49ers in linebacker limbo originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area The 49ers planned to cover their backsides with the addition of a veteran linebacker in NFL free agency. Turns out, that move ended up biting them on the same part of their anatomy. At 3:15 a.m. PT, veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks seemed to be ticketed …

The Giants sent the Carolina Panthers a pair of draft picks for defensive end Brian Burns and handed the two-time Pro Bowler a five-year contract worth up to $150 million with $87.5 million guaranteed. What kind of player are the Giants getting? “They’re getting somebody that’s coming to work, always be professional, always be a pro, that’s number one,” Burns …

The Browns have found a replacement for Harrison Bryant. They have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with Giovanni Ricci, according to multiple reports. He appeared in 36 games with four starts in three seasons in Carolina. Ricci, 27, has played some fullback as well as tight end and is a core special teams player. He has played 337 …

Report: Armstead-for-Collins trade between 49ers, Texans fell apart originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area Before releasing veteran defensive tackle Arik Armstead on Wednesday, the 49ers tried to trade him to the Texans for Maliek Collins but the deal fell apart after Houston agreed to terms with free-agent edge rusher Danielle Hunter, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows reported, citing a source …

NFL free agency is always flush with lucrative headlines and contracts, but many times the splashiest deals don’t end up translating to productive, sustainable partnerships. Money, after all, can certainly help build a contender, but it can’t guarantee one. Even so, several of this year’s most notable moves register as particularly promising due to certain players being ripe for a …

Getty Images The San Francisco 49ers already added to their defensive line on Tuesday, and just ahead of the start of the new league year, they did it again. After agreeing to terms with Leonard Floyd, Jordan Elliott and Yetur Gross-Matos, San Francisco swung a trade for Houston Texans defensive tackle Maliek Collins, according to ESPN. The Niners will reportedly send …

The San Francisco 49ers are reportedly adding some defensive line help, as they have reached a deal to acquire defensive tackle Maliek Collins in a trade with the Houston Texans. The move was first reported by ESPN. The Athletic reported that San Francisco is sending a seventh-round 2024 NFL Draft pick to Houston in exchange for Collins. The move gives …

As reality began to creep late last week that the Chicago Bears could quickly run out of obvious trade destinations for quarterback Justin Fields, a prominent NFL agent with experience facilitating trades for his clients offered a bottom line summary of the situation. “I’d start looking for a [scheme] fit and a backup [quarterback] situation that isn’t pinned down,” the …

After two days of fireworks (also known as the legal tampering period), the NFL’s first day of free agency kicked off on Wednesday. The day wasn’t as crazy as the previous two, but did include the biggest-available free agent finding his new home.  The day also saw veteran receivers Mike Williams and Hunter Renfrow get released by the Chargers and …

The Russell Wilson era in Denver is over … kind of. While the Broncos reportedly released him on Wednesday night (with a post-June 1 designation, according to ESPN), Denver will now absorb the massive cap hit that comes with cutting loose the nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback.  By virtue of releasing Wilson, the Broncos take on a $53 million dead cap …

Kirk Cousins has a single playoff victory in his long career. Even so, the Atlanta Falcons are betting at least $100 million that he’s the quarterback who can lead this star-crossed franchise to its first Super Bowl championship. Cousins was introduced Wednesday evening by the Falcons, who made a huge financial commitment to land one of the biggest prizes of …

Douglass basketball standout and former Millwood wide receiver Jaden Nickens announced Wednesday night that he was reopening his recruiting process. Nickens is a four-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, according to 247Sports, and he announced his commitment to the OU football program in August. The 6-foot-3, 190 pound two-sport athlete is a four-star football prospect according to 247Sports. He …