The Minnesota Vikings announced Thursday that they have reached an agreement with Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson on a multi-year contract extension that will reportedly make him the NFL's highest-paid tight end. 

ESPN reports the deal has a total value of $68.5 million over four years and includes the largest amount of guaranteed money for a tight end at $42.5 million. The contract's average annual value of $17.125 million is also the highest ever at the position. 

Hockenson, a Pro Bowl selection in 2020 and 2022, was entering the final season of a five-year, $29.2 million contract he signed as a rookie in 2019.

"He fits our culture, he’s the type of player that we want around here in Minnesota," Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said Thursday at a press conference announcing the signing.  "Really excited to get it done, a lot of late nights into this and we’re excited about that,"

Hockenson had missed the majority of training camp with an inner ear infection and a lower back injury, though head coach Kevin O' Connell said Thursday he expects the fifth-year pro to be ready for the Sept. 10 season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

The 26-year-old was taken by the Detroit with the eighth overall pick of the 2019 draft and spent 3 1/2 seasons with the Lions before being traded to the NFC North rival Vikings on Nov. 1.

Hockenson fit in seamlessly with his new team, as his 60 receptions were the most by a Vikings player through his first 10 games with the team in franchise history. He added 519 receiving yards and three touchdowns while helping Minnesota capture its first division title since 2017.

The University of Iowa product's 2022 campaign was highlighted by a 179-yard, two-touchdown performance for Detroit against the Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 2 and a 13-catch, 109-yard, two-touchdown effort against the New York Giants on Dec. 24. Hockenson had another double-digit catch outing against the GIants in the NFC playoffs, as he finished with 10 receptions totalling 129 yards in Minnesota's 31-24 loss.

Hockenson ended the 2022 regular season second among NFL tight ends in receptions (86) and receiving yards (914), trailing only Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro Travis Kelce in both categories while setting career highs in each.

Hockenson has recorded 60 or more receptions in three consecutive seasons and has compiled 246 catches, 2,587 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns in 57 career regular-season games. 

The Cincinnati Bengals got Joe Burrow back on the practice field Wednesday for the first time since the star quarterback injured his right calf early in training camp.

Burrow had been sidelined since straining his calf on a scramble during a July 27 practice. The 2022 Pro Bowl selection took part in throwing drills Wednesday without the compression sleeve on his lower right leg that he had been wearing during his recovery period.

"It was really great to have him back out there," Bengals center Ted Karras told reporters afterward. "He's the leader of this team and I'm just really happy he's back."

Burrow's return bodes well for his chances of being ready for Cincinnati's season opener against the AFC North rival Cleveland Browns on Sept. 10.

The 2020 No. 1 overall pick had his rookie campaign cut short after 10 games by a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, but has not missed a game due to injury over the last two seasons while leading the Bengals to the playoffs both years.

Burrow delivered a breakout 2021 season in which he threw for a franchise-record 4,611 yards and 34 touchdowns and helped the Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1988. The 2019 Heisman Trophy winner set another team record with 35 touchdown passes in 2022 while compiling 4,475 passing yards and completing 68.3 per cent of his throws. 

"Joe has a supreme command of the operational aspect of our offence, (so) it is ratched up a little bit," Karras said of Wednesday's practice. "Not that we're not going hard with anyone else out there, but when [number] nine's back there you can feel the difference."

Cincinnati finished 12-4 last season to capture its second straight AFC North title before again reaching the conference title game, which the Bengals lost 23-20 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. 

Tuesday's deadline has come and gone, and Johnathan Taylor is still with the Indianapolis Colts.

The Colts were unable to work out a deal for the disgruntled running back, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Media, and ended up placing him on the physically unable to perform list, which makes him ineligible for at least the first four games of the 2023 NFL season.

A trade could still be arranged prior to the NFL's trade deadline of October 31, but Taylor still can't play in the season's first four weeks, even if he is dealt to a new team.

Indianapolis opens the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 10, and the earliest Taylor could play is in Week 5.

The Miami Dolphins were reportedly the team most serious in making a deal for Taylor, but ultimately the Colts didn't feel any trade offers were of fair value.

The Colts granted the 24-year-old permission to seek a trade just over a week ago as the team and the 2021 NFL rushing champion remained locked in an ongoing contract dispute.

Taylor, the runner-up for the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 2021, is entering the final season of his rookie deal and is scheduled to earn $4.3 million in 2023.

The fourth-year pro ran for a franchise-record 1,811 yards in 2021, but was slowed by injuries last year and was put on the PUP list earlier this summer as he recovers from ankle surgery that ended his 2022 campaign in December.

Ankle issues limited Taylor to 11 games last season, which he finished with 861 rushing yards and four touchdowns while averaging 4.5 yards per attempt.

Taylor averaged 5.5 yards per carry during his sensational 2021 season in which he also tied for the NFL lead with 20 total touchdowns while playing in all 17 games.

Since entering the NFL as a second-round pick of the Colts in 2020, Taylor's 33 rushing touchdowns are tied for second in the NFL and his 3,841 rushing yards are the fourth most of any player, trailing only Derrick Henry, Dalvin Cook and Nick Chubb. 

The Buffalo Bills were hopeful Von Miller would be healthy enough to suit up in Week 1.

Turns out, the earliest he'll play is Week 5.

The Bills are keeping the three-time All Pro on the PUP list ahead of Tuesday's deadline, meaning he's ineligible for at least the first four games of the 2023 NFL season.

Miller, 34, has been working his way back from a torn ACL suffered in Week 12 of the 2022 season, and it had been reported last week that the Bills weren't ruling out the eight-time Pro Bowler returning for the September 11 season opener against the New York Jets on Monday Night Football.

He's been training with the team throughout training camp, though has yet to partake in a fully-padded practice and the Bills ultimately decided to give him more time to recover from the surgery he underwent last December.

The earliest he could possibly begin his 12th NFL season is Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars on October 8 in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Miller, who signed a six-year, $120million contract with the Bills in March 2022 after helping the Los Angeles Rams win the Super Bowl, finished his first season with the Bills tied with Greg Rousseau for the team lead with eight sacks despite playing in just 11 games. His 48 quarterback pressures were one fewer than Rousseau's for the team lead, and his pressure-rate of 20.8 was highest on Buffalo.

The league's active leader with 123.5 sacks, Miller has recorded eight consecutive seasons of eight or more sacks - the longest active streak in the NFL.

With Miller out, the Bills will rely on Leonard Floyd, who signed with the team over the summer, and Rousseau to generate a pass rush.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray will begin the 2023 NFL season on the physically unable to perform list. 

That roster decision wasn't that much of a surprise.

In another transaction by the Cardinals on Monday, veteran quarterback Colt McCoy was released.

That move, meanwhile, was unexpected.

Murray is still working his way back from a torn ACL he sustained last December, and has yet to practice, so it's entirely possible he misses more than just four games, which is the minimum number of games a player must sit out when placed on the PUP list.

McCoy was expected to be Arizona's starting quarterback, but now the team will go with either rookie Clayton Tune or the recently acquired Joshua Dobbs for the opener against the Washington Commanders on September 10.

Since his 2010 rookie season, the 36-year-old McCoy has made 36 career starts - including six for Arizona over the past two years. He went 3-3 in those games, completing 72 per cent of his passes for 1,218 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions while being sacked 13 times.

He struggled this preseason, completing just 9-of-12 passes for 42 yards.

To add depth at quarterback, the Cardinals acquired Dobbs in a trade with the Cleveland Browns last week, but he did not play in Saturday's preseason finale against the Minnesota Vikings.

Despite the season opener less than two weeks away, Dobbs appears to be in line to start against the Commanders over Tune, who was a fifth-round pick in this year's draft.

Dobbs was selected in the fourth round of the 2017 draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers and has appeared in eight pro games.

His only two starts came last season for the Tennessee Titans, and he completed 58.8 percent of his 85 pass attempts for 411 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for a 73.8 QB rating.

The Las Vegas Raiders and running back Josh Jacobs have agreed to a one-year contract, bringing the reigning rushing champion back to Las Vegas and allowing Jacobs to avoid playing under the franchise tag.

Jacobs broke the news first on social media by simply saying, “I’m back.” The team later confirmed the re-signing.

The deal will pay Jacobs up to $12million, multiple media outlets reported, a moderate raise over the $10.1million he was scheduled to make under the franchise tag. The base value of the contract is reportedly $11.8million with $200,000 in performance incentives.

Jacobs’ deal, unlike the franchise tag, reportedly includes a signing bonus.

Jacobs had publicly expressed his disapproval of playing under the franchise tag and had hoped to sign a multi-year deal.

After missing the July 17 deadline, however, Jacobs’ only choices were to continue his holdout, play under the tag or sign a new one-year deal independent of the tag.

Star wide receiver and teammate Davante Adams was among those who celebrated the end of Jacobs’ holdout on social media, posting a picture of the two players with the caption, “Back in [business].”

Jacobs rushed for an NFL-high 1,653 yards last season, and Las Vegas coach Josh McDaniels said during training camp that Jacobs’ role would remain the same in 2023.

Jacobs was drafted in the first round out of Alabama in 2019 by the Raiders’ previous regime of Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock.

After Dave Ziegler took over as general manager, the club declined the fifth-year option on Jacobs’ rookie contract, leading to the application of the franchise tag earlier this offseason.

In 60 career games, Jacobs has 4,740 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns while averaging 4.4 yards per carry.

The San Francisco 49ers have traded quarterback Trey Lance to the Dallas Cowboys less than three years after trading three first-round picks to draft him.

According to reports, the 49ers will receive a 2024 fourth-round pick for Lance.

Lance’s departure is not surprising after San Francisco made the decision earlier this week to give the backup job to San Darnold behind starter Brock Purdy.

Still, the choice to move on from Lance is stunning since the 49ers traded three first-round picks and a third-rounder to Miami in 2021 to move up from No. 12 and draft the untested quarterback third overall.

Lance only made 17 starts at FCS-level North Dakota State before he was drafted, and never gained much experience in the NFL.

Handed the starting job last season, Lance played less than five quarters before he broke his ankle in Week 2, sidelining him for the rest of the season.

Purdy, meanwhile, came on late in the season and won his first seven starts to take over the starting job heading into this season.

In his brief time with the 49ers, Lance completed 56 of 102 passes for 797 yards with five touchdowns, three interceptions and an 84.5 passer rating. He also rushed for 235 yards and one score on 54 carries.

Cooper Rush has been the backup most of Dak Prescott’s career in Dallas, including last season when he went 4-1 filling in after Prescott broke his thumb in the opener.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy could miss the start of the upcoming NFL season after injuring his right hamstring in Thursday's practice.

An MRI taken on Jeudy's hamstring revealed a moderate injury that is expected to sideline the 2020 first-round pick multiple weeks, according to NFL.com. The Broncos begin their season in 17 days with a home game against the AFC West rival Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 10. 

"Hopefully it's not anything long term," Broncos head coach Sean Payton told reporters after Thursday's practice.

The Broncos are already thin at the wide receiver spot after projected starter Tim Patrick suffered a season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon earlier this month. Denver also waived slot receiver KJ Hamler early in camp after he was diagnosed with a heart condition, though the team has indicated it could bring him back if medically cleared.

Jeudy, who led Denver in receptions (67), receiving yards (972) and touchdown catches (six) last season while recording career highs in all three categories, has had trouble staying healthy in the past. He missed seven games in 2021 with a severe high-ankle sprain and two last season with another ankle injury.

The former University of Alabama star finished his 2022 campaign strongly by averaging 91.6 receiving yards over the final five games, which ranked fourth in the NFL over that time frame. Jeudy began that stretch with three touchdown catches against the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in Week 14. 

Jeudy's injury leaves veteran Courtland Sutton as possibly Denver's lone established wide receiver for the season opener, and could force 2023 second-round pick Marvin Mims Jr. into a prominent role right away in his rookie season. 

The No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft is now No. 3 on the San Francisco 49ers' depth chart at quarterback.

Sam Darnold has been named the 49ers' backup QB ahead of Trey Lance in the battle of former third overall draft picks.

Kyle Shanahan's decision to go with Darnold as Brock Purdy's backup was reported by Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Media on Wednesday.

Lance's future in San Francisco is now uncertain, as the 49ers are reportedly exploring various options with the QB they drafted just over two years ago.

San Francisco paid a hefty price to draft Lance, trading three first-round picks and a third-rounder to the Miami Dolphin in 2021 to move up from No. 12 to select Lance after the Jacksonville Jaguars made Trevor Lawrence the top overall selection and the New York Jets picked Zach Wilson.

As Jimmy Garoppolo's backup in 2021, Lance appeared in six games as a rookie before being named the 49ers' starting quarterback for 2022, but he suffered a season-ending fractured right ankle in Week 2.

In eight career games, he's completed 54.9 per cent of his passes for 797 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions for an 84.5 QB rating. He has also rushed for 235 yards with a score.

He got the start in the preseason opener, and completed 22-of-33 passes for 285 yards with two touchdowns and a pick while being sacked four times in two exhibition games.

Darnold started the second preseason game, and has completed 16-of-22 passes for 193 yards while being sacked twice in two games.

The 49ers acquired Darnold in March to add depth at quarterback behind Purdy, who famously suffered a torn elbow ligament on the first offensive series for the 49ers in the 2022 NFC championship game.

Purdy, the final pick in last year's draft, won all five of his starts in the 2022 regular season after taking over for an injured Garoppolo in Week 13 to lift the 49ers to a 13-4 record and the second seed in the NFC. He has been cleared to start the season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 10.

Darnold was the third overall pick of the 2018 draft by the New York Jets, and hasn't enjoyed much success in his five NFL seasons.

He did put together some encouraging performances last year with the Carolina Panthers, however, throwing for 1,143 yards with seven TDs and three interceptions for a 92.6 passer rating while going 4-2 as a starter.

In 56 career games, he has completed 59.7 per cent of his passes for 11,767 yards with 61 touchdowns and 55 picks.

Since his rookie season, his 78.2 passer rating ranks last among the 42 quarterbacks with a minimum of 750 attempts.

Defensive tackle Chris Jones remains absent from Kansas City Chiefs training camp with the defending Super Bowl champions' season opener approaching two weeks away.

Based on comments from the All-Pro and head coach Andy Reid on Wednesday, Jones' holdout doesn't appear to be ending anytime soon.

Jones told a fan on social media he's contemplating sitting out until midseason over a dispute regarding his contract, while Reid told reporters Wednesday the team has had no recent conversations with the standout pass rusher as it continues preparation for the Sept. 7 opener against the Detroit Lions.

After posting a photo of a sign that read, "If it's out of your hands, it deserves freedom from your mind also," Jones hinted he may not rejoin the Chiefs until Week 8 in response to a question asking when he plans to end his holdout.

Jones would need to report by Week 8 to accrue a full season and become an unrestricted free agent in 2024.

The four-time Pro Bowl selection is due a $19.5 million base salary in 2023 in the final season of a four-year, $80 million extension he signed in 2020. Jones' deal was the second largest for an interior defensive lineman at the time of the signing, but now ranks eighth in average annual value after four defensive tackles - Quinnen Williams of the New York Jets, Tennessee's Jeffery Simmons, Washington's Daron Payne and the New York Giants' Dexter Lawrence - all signed extensions this offseason.

Jones has been accruing daily fines of $50,000 for missing camp, and implied he's willing to forfeit game checks as well if an agreement can't be reached.

"I can afford it," he answered when a social media user commented on the large amount of money Jones would give up by missing games.

Reid said following Wednesday's practise he has not been involved in any negotiations between Jones and the team and remains unsure of how long the stalemate will go on.

“There's been no communication so I don't know what's going to happen there,” Reid said. “The game goes on. That's how it works.”

Jones finished third in voting for NFL Defensive Player of the Year last season while playing a major role in the Chiefs' second Super Bowl title in four years. The 29-year-old tied a career high with 15.5 sacks in 17 regular-season games and registered two more sacks in Kansas City's win over the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC championship game.

The seven-year veteran has been named to the Pro Bowl in four consecutive seasons, while his 56.5 sacks since 2018 are the fourth most in the NFL over that five-year stretch. 

Baker Mayfield has his first win of the season, securing the starting quarterback job for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles named Mayfield the starter over Kyle Trask on Tuesday.

While Trask, a second-round pick in 2021, played well in the preseason, the Bucs opted to go with experience for their season opener against the Minnesota Vikings on September 10.

Mayfield, the top overall pick of the 2018 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns, has made 69 regular-season starts and takes over the reins at quarterback for Tampa Bay after the future Hall of Famer Tom Brady retired 

Acquired in March as a free agent on a one-year deal, Mayfield started Tampa Bay's first preseason game, completing 8-of-9 passes for 63 yards with a touchdown before giving way to Trask.

Mayfield did not play in the second exhibition game, while Trask got the start. In the two games, Trask completed 26-of-38 passes for 317 yards with a touchdown and interception.

Mayfield began last season as the Carolina Panthers starting quarterback but struggled with injuries and inefficient play, and was eventually benched in midseason. He later requested and was granted his release after appearing in six games for the Panthers.

Claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Rams, Mayfield showed improved play with his new team, completing 63.8 per cent of his passes while throwing for three touchdowns with two interceptions in four starts.

In 12 overall games in 2022, Mayfield finished with 2,163 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions and a 79.0 passer rating that ranked 30th out of 33 qualified quarterbacks.

For his career, the 28-year-old has compiled 16,288 passing yards, 102 passing touchdowns and 64 interceptions along with a passer rating of 86.5.

His best season came in 2020, when he threw for a career-high 26 touchdowns and produced a 95.9 quarterback rating while leading Cleveland to an 11-5 regular-season record and a win over the rival Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round of the AFC playoffs.

The Indianapolis Colts have granted disgruntled running back Jonathan Taylor permission to seek a trade as the team and the 2021 NFL rushing champion remain locked in an ongoing contract dispute, multiple outlets reported Friday.

Taylor, the runner-up for the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 2021, initially requested a trade upon reporting to training camp in late July with the Colts unwilling to discuss a contract extension. The fourth-year pro is entering the final season of his rookie deal and is scheduled to earn $4.3 million in 2023.

According to ESPN, the Colts are seeking a package equivalent to a first-round pick for Taylor, who ran for a franchise-record 1,811 yards in 2021 to become the first Colts player to lead the NFL in rushing since Hall of Famer Edgerrin James did so in back-to-back seasons in 1999 and 2000. 

The Colts' reluctance to extend Taylor seems to stem from injuries that lessened his production this past season. The 24-year-old is currently on the physically unable to peform list while recovering from ankle surgery that ended his 2022 campaign in December.

Taylor also briefly left camp last week for what the Colts said was an excused absence to attend to a personal matter. He previously was away from the team for a short period to undergo therapy on his ankle through an outside source. 

Ankle issues limited Taylor to 11 games last season, which he finished with 861 rushing yards and four touchdowns while averaging 4.5 yards per attempt.

Taylor averaged 5.5 yards per carry during his superb 2021 season in which he also tied for the NFL lead with 20 total touchdowns while playing in all 17 games.

Since entering the NFL as a second-round pick of the Colts in 2020, Taylor's 33 rushing touchdowns are tied for second in the NFL and his 3,841 rushing yards are the fourth most of any player, trailing only Derrick Henry, Dalvin Cook and Nick Chubb. 

Aaron Rodgers spent the New York Jets' first three preseason games on the sideline.

That will change in their exhibition finale.

Rodgers will reportedly make his Jets debut on Saturday against the New York Giants in the team's final tuneup before the regular-season opener against the Buffalo Bills on September 11.

Brian Costello of the New York Post reported the Jets' decision to start the future Hall of Famer against the Giants on Sunday.

Rodgers hasn't appeared in a preseason game since 2018, but had spent his entire 18-year NFL career with the Packers prior to joining the Jets in April so had a familiarity with Green Bay and its system.

After being acquired by New York, the four-time league MVP has spent all training camp working on chemistry with his new teammates, but has yet to see game action with backup quarterback Zach Wilson starting the first three preseason games.

Jets coach Robert Saleh made it clear early in camp that Rodgers would sit out the first three exhibition games but left the door open for the 39-year-old to play in the finale.

While many NFL teams rest most of their starters in the final preseason game to avoid the risk of injury, the Jets are expected to start many of their first-stringers with Rodgers in the mix.

Newly signed running back Dalvin Cook, fellow running back Breece Hall and wide receiver Garrett Wilson have yet to appear in a preseason game, but appear likely to face the Giants as the Jets will try to get their first-team offense some work together in game action before Week 1.

Aaron Rodgers spent the New York Jets' first three preseason games on the sideline.

That will change in their exhibition finale.

Rodgers will reportedly make his Jets debut on Saturday against the New York Giants in the team's final tuneup before the regular-season opener against the Buffalo Bills on September 11.

Brian Costello of the New York Post reported the Jets' decision to start the future Hall of Famer against the Giants on Sunday.

Rodgers hasn't appeared in a preseason game since 2018, but had spent his entire 18-year NFL career with the Packers prior to joining the Jets in April so had a familiarity with Green Bay and its system.

After being acquired by New York, the four-time league MVP has spent all training camp working on chemistry with his new teammates, but has yet to see game action with backup quarterback Zach Wilson starting the first three preseason games.

Jets coach Robert Saleh made it clear early in camp that Rodgers would sit out the first three exhibition games but left the door open for the 39-year-old to play in the finale.

While many NFL teams rest most of their starters in the final preseason game to avoid the risk of injury, the Jets are expected to start many of their first-stringers with Rodgers in the mix.

Newly signed running back Dalvin Cook, fellow running back Breece Hall and wide receiver Garrett Wilson have yet to appear in a preseason game, but appear likely to face the Giants as the Jets will try to get their first-team offense some work together in game action before Week 1.

New England Patriots rookie cornerback Isaiah Bolden was released from the hospital the morning after being carted off the field in an NFL preseason game that prompted the exhibition against the Green Bay Packers to be called off.

In a statement released by the Patriots on Sunday, the team said Bolden was kept overnight in a Green Bay-area hospital for observation and after undergoing a series of evaluations, he has been discharged and cleared to travel with the team back to Massachusetts.

In Saturday's game at Lambeau Field, Bolden appeared to collide with teammate Calvin Munson while attempting to make a hit on a pass completion to Malik Heath of the Packers.

The 23-year-old then was motionless on the turf as medical officials tended to him. Bolden, a seventh-round pick by New England out of Jackson State, was eventually carted off the field and the Patriots said after the game that he had feeling in all his extremities. 

Following the injury, the NFL made the decision to call the remainder of the game, with New England up 21-17 with 10:29 left in the fourth quarter.

Also in the wake of Bolden's injury, the Patriots have decided to alter their training schedule for the week.

They will no longer hold joint practices with the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday and Wednesday in Nashville. After practising in Foxborough this week, the team will fly to Tennessee on Thursday ahead of its preseason game on Friday.