News About AFC Teams
Cincinnati Bengals News
The Bengals re-signed QB Joe Flacco to a one-year deal.
Why It Matters: The fantasy value of Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown in 2026 is much more resilient with Flacco back in Cincinnati. He was very productive in place of an injured Joe Burrow after the Browns traded Flacco to the Bengals midseason, when he flopped as Cleveland's starter to open the season. Flacco was seen as a possibility for the Steelers if Aaron Rodgers decided to retire, so we have more clarity that free agent Kirk Cousins would be the most likely target if Rodgers doesn't opt to reunite in Pittsburgh with Mike McCarthy, the head coach of Rodgers' one Super Bowl win, ironically against Pittsburgh in 2011.
Cleveland Browns News
The Browns and EDGE Myles Garrett agreed to push the dates of his option bonuses in 2026, 2027, and 2028 from the 15th day of the league year to seven days before the start of the regular season.
Why It Matters: The adjustment "extends the trade window" for Cleveland, per cap expert Jason Fitzgerald from Over The Cap. The Browns also recently submitted a rule change proposal to allow teams to trade picks five years out from the draft instead of three. Perhaps these two developments could be related. For what it is worth, Adam Schefter said the Browns told him they are "100% not trading Garrett".
Kansas City Chiefs News
After video of QB Patrick Mahomes II dropping back and making throws was released on Wednesday, the Chiefs are optimistic that he will be able to participate in the team's offseason practices in at least a limited capacity.
Why It Matters: Mahomes has a Week 1 return target, and we wouldn't bet against him. He returned from a dislocated kneecap after missing only two games in 2019, and the fact that he is dropping back and throwing a little over three months after knee surgery is another sign that his recovery timeline is different from that of typical players. He is currently QB12 in early Underdog drafts, but that ADP could and should move up if Mahomes is on the field in some capacity this spring, as the Chiefs hope.
Los Angeles Chargers News
Kris Rhim of ESPN reports that the Chargers "love" WR Quentin Johnston and "believe in him", but that the "right offer" could change their willingness to trade Johnston because they have "somewhat of a logjam" at wide receiver.
Why It Matters: The Chargers remain strong at wide receiver thanks to good recent drafts, so Johnston could be expendable, even with Keenan Allen still unsigned, even though the team has said they want to bring him back. When Daniel Popper of The Athletic recently analyzed the current team depth chart, he wrote that he believes the team should build its passing offense around Ladd McConkey and mentioned 2025 second-round pick Tre' Harris as a player "in line for a bigger role" if Allen is not on the roster. This offense can afford to lose Johnston, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba's recent market-resetting extension should give the Chargers clarity about whether they are going to commit to Johnston beyond the $18 million fifth-year option decision the team has to make a week after the draft on May 1. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN included Johnston in a list of receivers that have "come up in his talks" as "potentially available" along with the oft-discussed Eagle AJ Brown (Baltimore's Rashod Bateman and Green Bay's Dontayvion Wicks were the others) earlier this month, so Rhim isn't bringing this possibility up out of left field.
New York Jets News
The Jets will host Alabama QB Ty Simpson for a private workout, and the team's general manager, head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach will have dinner with the 2026 draft prospect.
Why It Matters: Simpson's draft stock has been a hot topic in NFL draft coverage, but this interest appears real rather than manufactured by the rumor mill. The Jets have the #2, #16, #33, and #44 picks in the upcoming draft. They could hope he falls to their pick at #16, or even #33 with a mixed bag of draft analyst evaluations, given Simpson only started 15 games in his college career. We'll be watching to see what other teams show interest in Simpson, but it's also possible that a team could mask their inclination to draft him to lull the Jets and other teams into expecting them to fall past their pick.
