PITTSBURGH — When Cam Heyward was unhappy with the status of his contract negotiations last spring, the Steelers captain and face of the franchise brought up the possibility he could finish his career elsewhere. He also sat out a portion of last year's voluntary spring workouts to signal to ownership he was ready to play hard ball if need be. ...Read more

Editor’s note: The U-T’s Eddie Brown is breaking down prospects, position by position, leading up to the NFL draft (April 24-26). Here are his top 10 offensive tackles, plus “bonus” players he believes will be drafted or signed as a priority free agent:

— Will Campbell (Jr., LSU, 6-foot-6, 319 pounds)

Campbell was the fourth-ranked...Read more

Editor’s note: The Union-Tribune’s Eddie Brown is breaking down prospects, position by position, leading up to the NFL draft (April 24-26). Here are his top 10 running backs, plus “bonus” players he believes will be drafted or signed as a priority free agent:

— 1. Ashton Jeanty (Jr., Boise St., 5-foot-8, 211 pounds)

Jeanty just had ...Read more

DENVER — He glanced down the line, a tunnel of silence around the 40 yards in front of him, and the realization that he was here suddenly smacked Gunnar Helm.

A long way, truly, from the Denver neighborhood Cherry Creek— in Indianapolis, a thousand miles and several years removed. A long way from the kid who couldn’t crack varsity for a ...Read more

MIAMI — In the next two weeks you will hear a lot of debate about what’s the best draft approach an NFL team should take.

Is it selecting the best player available, or drafting for need?

It’s an old and outdated discussion because the truth is both answers are right. And which side your team leans toward for roster-building depends on ...Read more

Editor’s note: The Union-Tribune’s Eddie Brown is breaking down prospects, position by position, leading up to the NFL draft (April 24-26). Here are his top 10 tight ends, plus “bonus” players he believes will be drafted or signed as a priority free agent:

— 1. Tyler Warren (Sr., Penn St., 6-foot-5, 256 pounds)

Warren is athletic, ...Read more

CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears appear to have locked up one of their defensive centerpieces.

The Bears have reportedly signed cornerback Kyler Gordon to a three-year, $40 million contract extension, according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal is said to include $31.25 million in guaranteed money.

Gordon, 25, was entering the ...Read more

Editor’s note: The Union-Tribune’s Eddie Brown is breaking down prospects, position by position, leading up to the NFL draft (April 24-26). Here are his top 10 quarterbacks, plus “bonus” players he believes will be drafted or signed as a priority free agent:

— 1. Cam Ward (Sr., Miami, 6-foot-2, 219 pounds)

He was lightly recruited ...Read more

Editor’s note: The Union-Tribune’s Eddie Brown is breaking down prospects, position by position, leading up to the NFL draft (April 24-26). Here are his top 10 wide receivers, plus “bonus” players he believes will be drafted or signed as a priority free agent:

— 1. Travis Hunter (Jr., Colorado, 6-foot, 188 pounds)

As the consensus No...Read more

MIAMI — Tyreek Hill, you are exhausting. Your act has grown old, except it isn’t an act, it’s evidently just who you are down to the bone and it’s troubling. The repeated anger issues. The immaturity. I’m not sure if selfishness comes into play, because you apparently are helpless to control yourself.

That you were a Miami Dolphins ...Read more

FORT WORTH, Texas — Although a shot glass of Common Sense will tell you which direction he leans, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones does his best to duck any talk of political preferences, but he may soon have to stand up to object to an executive order.

The president of the United States recently issued an executive order that targets, albeit...Read more

CHICAGO — There’s confidence at Halas Hall that a busy offseason switching out the coaching staff and adding talent via trades and free agency has produced a better roster as the Chicago Bears prepare for their second season with quarterback Caleb Williams.

The most significant personnel upgrades are on the interior of the offensive line, ...Read more

MIAMI — If not for the inclusion of Brock Bowers, the Las Vegas Raiders’ first-round pick who set multiple NFL records for tight end productivity, the 2024 crop of tight ends might be viewed as the worst position group in that entire draft.

Only 12 tight ends got drafted last season, and few of them made an immediate impact for their teams....Read more

SEATTLE — The Seahawks aren’t waiting until the NFL draft to add to their quarterback depth behind Sam Darnold.

Instead, they are bringing back a name from their recent past — Drew Lock.

A source confirmed to The Seattle Times on Friday that the Seahawks are expected to re-sign Lock, who spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons with the Seahawks ...Read more

MIAMI — Just like baggy jeans are back in style again, Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry are seemingly leading a resurgence of the tailback position.

For years the NFL had minimized the position’s importance, lessened a back’s role, but Barkley’s dominant season with the Philadelphia Eagles and Henry’s forceful running for the ...Read more

How much more will they take?

How much more can the Miami Dolphins take of Tyreek Hill?

However complicated the decision, however tricky the salary-cap problems, however much further his value decreased with his latest domestic incident that caused his mother-in-law to call police but resulted in no arrest — however you walk around Hill’s ...Read more

MIAMI — Not every draft class is guaranteed to have a crop of stud quarterbacks.

If there’s one franchise quarterback in each class the NFL should consider itself lucky.

Even when there are stud prospects expected to become first-round picks there’s no guarantee those players will even pan out, becoming quarterbacks who can carry a ...Read more

NEW YORK — There have been several changes to the Jets’ roster this offseason.

However, one of their free-agent signings from two years ago will remain on the team in 2025.

Wide receiver Allen Lazard has agreed to a pay cut to continue playing with the Jets, sources told the New York Daily News. Last month, the Jets permitted Lazard to ...Read more

The San Francisco 49ers’ offseason has been a dizzying effort to both get worse and not sign their so-called franchise quarterback.

And all the while, general manager John Lynch has presented the 2025 NFL draft as a panacea for the team’s problems.

“We’ve got this thing called the draft and we’ve got a lot of picks,” Lynch told ...Read more

SEATTLE — As far as entertainment goes, this was one of the more compelling Seahawks offseasons we've ever seen.

Quarterback Geno Smith demanded a trade, and Sam Darnold came in to replace him. Receiver DK Metcalf also wanted out, and then Seattle signed former Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp.

Gone is fellow receiver Tyler Lockett after 10 years ...Read more