
Saints sign RB Cam Akers to 1-year contract
Financial terms were not disclosed in the team announcement on Friday for Akers, who participated in the Saints' minicamp on a tryout basis.
Akers, who turns 26 on June 22, had 104 carries for 444 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games (two starts) split between the Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings in 2024.
He has rushed for 2,025 yards and 13 touchdowns and caught 52 passes for 388 yards and four scores in 53 games (17 starts). He also has played for the Los Angeles Rams (2020-23), who selected him in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Report: Anthony Richardson should be healthy for Colts training camp
The third-year signal-caller aggravated the AC joint in his right shoulder and was held out of team minicamp this week. That shoulder is the same one he had AC joint surgery on in 2023.
A second opinion on this latest setback confirmed that surgery wouldn't be necessary. Moreover, the timetable for his return looks more optimistic than previously suggested.
In an interview a week ago, head coach Shane Steichen said Richardson would return "at some point" in training camp.
"Doctors, trainers checked it out," Steichen said. "He's got some aggravation in his AC joint ... We'll see when he comes back. Not gonna put a timetable for training camp on it, but when he does come back, we'll ease him into throwing, and then we'll go from there. The good thing is he's not gonna need a procedure right now."
Richardson, the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, is expected to battle former New York Giants starter Daniel Jones for the Colts' starting quarterback job this season.
"Obviously, it's frustrating, but he is in good spirits," Steichen said. "So, we're working through it right now."
Richardson, 23, enters his third season with 15 starts under his belt (8-7 record), a 50.6 completion percentage, 11 touchdown passes, 10 rushing touchdowns, 13 interceptions and 12 fumbles (four lost).
He completed 47.7 percent of his passes in 2024, historically bad from an accuracy perspective and easily the worst among NFL starters. He had 10 or fewer completions in six of the 11 games he appeared in last season.
Jones, 28, has appeared in 70 games (69 starts) over six seasons in New York. He is a career 64.1 percent passer with 70 touchdowns and 47 interceptions. He also has 15 touchdowns rushing and has suffered 50 career fumbles.

Barry Sanders reveals he suffered a heart attack last year
During an exclusive interview with CBS Sports, Sanders disclosed that the "health scare" indeed was a heart attack.
"Of all things, I don't know why, that just never entered my mind," Sanders said of his heart attack. "I'm learning through this process that there aren't necessarily any warning signs, unless you do what we're encouraging people to do, which is to go the doctor, get tested for LDLC levels, or bad cholesterol. That's the only way to find out if you have high cholesterol. It's not something you're going to be able to feel. You don't have to fit a certain physical profile."
Sanders, 56, shared his experience in "The Making of a Heart Attack," which will air on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on A&E.
He said he woke up with a burning sensation in his chest while attending a recruiting visit for his son.
"I couldn't believe it, honestly. I thought it was like heartburn, but it just kind of persisted," Sanders said.
He said he drove himself to the emergency room later that afternoon, with tests revealing that his enzyme levels were "really high and getting higher."
Sanders was a first-ballot selection to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
The Lions made Sanders, a Heisman Trophy winner at Oklahoma State, the third overall pick of the 1989 NFL Draft. He spent his entire 10-year career with Detroit (1989-98), running for 15,269 yards -- now the fourth-most rushing yards in NFL history -- and 99 touchdowns while catching 352 passes for 2,921 yards and 10 TDs.
Sanders rushed for 2,053 yards in 1997 when he shared Most Valuable Player honors with Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre. Sanders was selected to 10 Pro Bowls in 10 seasons, named first-team All-Pro six times, voted the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1989 and selected to the NFL 100 All-Time Team.

Report: Rams LT Alaric Jackson dealing with blood clots
While Jackson is expected to play this season, the Rams secured insurance at the position by agreeing to terms with free agent tackle D.J. Humphries on Thursday.
Jackson, 26, followed up the 2022 season in which he played just eight games (six starts) by starting 29 of the Rams' 34 games over the past two campaigns.
Humphries, 31, started 15 games with the Arizona Cardinals in 2023 before sustaining a torn ACL. He joined the Kansas City Chiefs in late November of last season and started two games.
Humphries has started all 100 career games he has played since the Cardinals selected him with the 24th overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft. He made the Pro Bowl in 2021.

Colts inducting late Jim Irsay in Ring of Honor in Week 1
The team made the announcement on Friday, which would have been the longtime executive's 66th birthday. Irsay passed away on May 21.
Irsay will become the 20th member of the Colts Ring of Honor, a prestigious list that includes Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney and former coach Tony Dungy.
Earlier this month, team ownership was passed down to Irsay's three daughters: Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson.
"There was no bigger advocate for the Colts, the NFL, the city of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana than our dad, Jim Irsay," Irsay's daughters said in a statement. "It's only fitting that he now joins the other amazing Colts legends in our Ring of Honor who contributed so much to our franchise and our community over the past four decades."
Under Jim Irsay's involvement with the franchise from 1984-2024, the Colts went 316-294-1 in the regular season and 13-16 in the playoffs with a victory in Super Bowl XLI.

Report: Antonio Brown sought on attempted murder charge
The charge stems from a shooting Brown allegedly was involved in at a celebrity boxing event in Miami last month.
The warrant, signed by a judge on Wednesday, requires Brown to post a $10,000 bond and remain under house arrest until trial.
Brown, 36, temporarily was detained by police after gunshots were fired at the boxing event in the Little Haiti neighborhood of Miami on May 16. The mercurial wide receiver was spotted fighting with several people on a video posted to social media.
"Regarding the boxing event that happened last night," Brown wrote on the following day on X. "I was jumped by multiple individuals who tried to steal my jewelry and cause physical harm to me. Contrary to some video circulating, Police temporarily detained me until they received my side of the story and then released me. I WENT HOME THAT NIGHT AND WAS NOT ARRESTED.
"I will be talking to my legal council (sic) and attorneys on pressing charges on the individuals that jumped me. I will keep you all posted step-by-step on the process."
Per the warrant, people in the parking lot told police that Brown was the shooter. Brown did not have a weapon on him when he was patted down, but investigators discovered two used shell casings and an empty gun holster.
Police found video footage that showed Brown punching another person. That same footage showed Brown appearing to take the gun of a security officer and running in the direction of the person he had initially hit.
Cell phone footage revealed two gunshots as Brown approached the victim, who ducked the bullets.
Per the warrant, detectives met with the alleged victim on May 21. He said Brown "began to run toward him with a firearm" and shot at him twice. Brown walked away before police arrived, and the man went to Aventura Hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Brown previously was a top wide receiver in the NFL before his erratic behavior led to a turbulent exit from the league.
He was named a first-team All-Pro four times and made seven Pro Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2010-18 before being traded to the then-Oakland Raiders. He didn't play a down there, however, and ended his career after one game with the New England Patriots (2019) and 15 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020-21).
Brown caught 928 passes for 12,291 yards and 83 touchdowns in 146 games. He led the league in catches twice, receiving yards twice and touchdown receptions once.

Patriots to unveil Tom Brady statue on Aug. 8
The team announced the details on Thursday, since June 12 is known as "Tom Brady Day" in Patriots territory because the date also can be written as 6/12. That represents the number of Super Bowl championships Brady won with the team (six) and his jersey number (12).
Plans for a 12-foot-tall bronze statue were originally announced in June 2024 when Brady was inducted into the franchise's Hall of Fame.
"(The statue) will stand alone in the plaza outside of the Hall of Fame to symbolize his position, not as the greatest in franchise history, but as the greatest in all of NFL history," team owner Robert Kraft said at the time.
Brady, 47, was a three-time NFL Most Valuable Player who holds the league records for completions (7,753), pass attempts (12,050), passing yards (89,214) and touchdown passes (649). He added his record seventh Super Bowl championship with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2020 season.

Texans S Jimmie Ward arrested in alleged family violence incident
Ward, 33, was arrested on the scene around 5:30 a.m. and was being held on third-degree felony charges, per information from the Montgomery County Jail. Bond had yet to be set.
"We are aware of the report involving Jimmie Ward," the Texans said in a statement. "We are gathering more information and have no further comment at this time."
Ward has not been spotted at the team's offseason workouts or this week's mandatory minicamp as he works his way back from a foot injury that required season-ending surgery.
He recorded 48 tackles and two interceptions -- one returned for a touchdown -- in 10 games (all starts) last season.
Ward has totaled 549 tackles, 10 interceptions -- three returned for a touchdown -- in 126 career games (99 starts) with the San Francisco 49ers (2014-22) and Texans. He was selected by the 49ers with the 30th overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Northern Illinois.

Bengals' first-round pick Shemar Stewart exits minicamp
Per the Cincinnati Enquirer, Stewart left camp so as not to be a distraction to the other players.
Stewart, 21, had been attending voluntary workouts and team meetings but steered clear of participating in on-field activities. The Bengals selected the Texas A&M defensive end with the 17th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Stewart is not planning to sign with the Bengals until they adjust the language in their contract offer to match the outline of the contracts signed by the team's previous two first-round selections (Myles Murphy and Amarius Mims).
"I've been doing this for most of my whole life, and then all of a sudden it's gone over something very simple to fix," Stewart told reporters on Tuesday. "It's kind of disappointing."
Bengals coach Zac Taylor talked to the media about Stewart after practice Thursday.
"For all the rookies, you'd like them to be on the field but certainly there's things that happen over the course of an NFL career and this is one of them right now," Taylor said of Stewart missing out on preparation time. "So he's been in the meetings. He's been positive in that way. He's been learning. He's been a good learner, and we look forward to getting him back on the field quickly."
Taylor said he didn't know how the contract process would progress and wouldn't guess whether Stewart would be with the team when camp opens next month.
"I'm not going to make any predictions," he said.

Sean McVay: Aaron Rodgers to Rams was 'a possibility'
Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay acknowledged on Wednesday that his team considered making a play for Rodgers before sticking with Matthew Stafford.
Speaking with NFL Media, McVay said, "Our first priority, which was consistently communicated, was, 'Hey, let's work out something with Matthew,' and we were very fortunate that it worked out that way.
"If that wasn't able to occur, then (pursuing Rodgers) was definitely conversations and a possibility for us. I have a ton of respect for the body of work, and I've gotten to know Aaron and enjoy the conversations and just the approach -- the way that he thinks about the game and in life. That was a possibility."
McVay added of Rodgers landing with the Steelers, "I'm really glad that worked out. I know there's a lot of people in Pittsburgh that are really excited that's come to fruition, and I'm a big fan of his."
The Rams and Stafford agreed to a new contract in early May that will pay the 37-year-old veteran $44 million in 2025, and he would get $40 million if he sticks with the club in 2026.
Stafford, who led the Rams to the Super Bowl championship after the 2021 season, owns a 34-23 record after Los Angeles' starter after going 74-90-1 as the Detroit Lions' starter from 2009-20.
Rodgers, 41, also has one Super Bowl ring, from the 2010 season with the Green Bay Packers. The four-time NFL Most Valuable Player landed a one-year deal in Pittsburgh that reportedly will pay him $13.65 million, including a $10 million guarantee.
Rodgers owns a 153-87-1 record as a starter with the Packers (2005-22) and New York Jets (2023-24).

Adam 'Pacman' Jones pleads not guilty in officer assault case
Accused of assaulting a police officer, disorderly conduct and alcohol intoxication in a public place, Jones was arrested in Kentucky on Saturday morning.
Jones' lawyer addressed the charges Wednesday, accusing the police and media of embellishing the facts of the case.
"The recent arrest of Adam 'Pacman' Jones in Covington, Kentucky, is yet another example of overzealous policing and the systemic issues that plague our justice system," attorney Pete Schaefer said. "Adam did nothing wrong other than exercise his right to ask why he was being detained. ... Initially, officers claimed he was being arrested for assault and then shifted to public intoxication, which, in itself, is not a crime in many jurisdictions unless it leads to dangerous behavior, and finally settled on disorderly conduct -- simply for asking why he was being detained.
"This pattern of escalating and inconsistent charges is a clear abuse of authority and demonstrates a troubling trend of police officers prioritizing their own discretion over constitutional rights.''
Schaefer also suggested his client has received unfair treatment since his detention.
"Adam, like every American, is innocent until proven guilty. Yet, once again, his past is being weaponized against him in the court of public opinion, while the officers involved face no scrutiny for their conduct. ... Adam deserves fairness, not another headline designed to paint him as a villain for clicks.''
Arrested several times since his playing days, Jones, 41, was most recently arrested for alleged public intoxication, assault of a police officer and evading arrest following the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight at AT&T Stadium on Nov. 15, 2024.
Jones played 146 career games over 12 seasons with the Tennessee Titans (2005-06), Dallas Cowboys (2008), Cincinnati Bengals (2010-17) and Denver Broncos (2018).
He was a First-Team All-Pro in 2014, a Pro Bowl selection in 2015 and a member of the NFL All-Rookie Team in 2005. The punt return specialist retired from the NFL in 2019.

Reports: Commanders WR Noah Brown hurt during minicamp drill
Brown, 29, caught a short pass from Marcus Mariota during 7-on-7 drills and stayed on the ground before slowly getting to his feet and limping off to the sideline, where he threw his helmet. He met with athletic trainers and was carted to the team facility.
Brown, who re-signed with the Commanders as a free agent in March, has dealt with injuries throughout his seven-year career. That includes the kidney injury he suffered against the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 1, 2024 that knocked him out for the rest of the season, including the Commanders' run to the NFC championship game.
Last season, his first in Washington, Brown played in 11 games (nine starts) and made 35 receptions on 56 targets for 453 yards. His lone touchdown came on a 52-yard Hail Mary pass that gave host Washington an 18-15 win over the Chicago Bears on Oct. 27.
A seventh-round draft pick by Dallas in 2017, the Ohio State alum has 150 catches for 2,000 yards and six TDs in 87 games (34 starts) with the Cowboys (2017-18, 2020-22), Houston Texans (2023) and Commanders.
The Commanders also were without veteran Michael Gallup on Tuesday and Wednesday, reportedly due to a strained hamstring. A Dallas receiver from 2018-23, Gallup, 29, signed with Washington in March after coming out of a retirement that he announced in July 2024.

Reports: LB Germaine Pratt signs 1-year deal with Raiders
Pratt agreed to a contract with $4.25 million plus $500,000 in playing time incentives, according to the NFL Network.
Pratt, 29, was released by the Bengals earlier this week.
Pratt spent six seasons with the Bengals and had a career-best 143 tackles in 17 games last season. He made 261 stops over the last two seasons.
He also had two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 2024.
Pratt has 616 tackles, seven interceptions, seven forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, 23 passes defensed and 3.5 sacks in 96 career games (88 starts) for the Bengals, who selected him in the third round of the 2019 draft out of North Carolina State.

NFL extends, expands exclusive data deal with Genius Sports
Since 2021, Genius Sports has been distributing NFL play-by-play statistics that pour through the league's Next Gen Stats real-time data platform. Next Gen Stats goes beyond typical rushing, passing and receiving totals by creating advanced statistics off raw player data.
Genius Sports distributes the data to sports betting operators and media brands.
Terms of the new deal were not disclosed but Genius Sports and the NFL had been working under a six-year, $120 million deal that was set to end in 2026. The new deal adds four more years to the partnership.
Genius Sports had previously extended its deal with the NCAA to provide data to the same entities from collegiate postseason events like the men's and women's basketball tournaments. That deal is set to run through 2032.

Report: Commanders sign S Jeremy Reaves to extension
The 28-year-old safety is entering his eighth season in the nation's capital, a tenure highlighted by Pro Bowl and All-Pro first-team selections in 2022.
The extension keeps Reaves under contract with Washington through 2026, per the report.
Reaves has recorded 128 tackles, one sack, one interception and one forced fumble in 64 games (11 starts).
Of the 321 snaps he played with the Commanders in 2024, all but four came on special teams.

Broncos announced signing of RB J.K. Dobbins
Terms were not disclosed but multiple reports on Tuesday said it was a one-year deal worth $5.25 million.
Dobbins, 26, remains in the AFC West coming off his best season in 2024 with the Los Angeles Chargers.
The oft-injured back rushed for a career-high 905 yards and tied a career high with nine rushing touchdowns in 13 games (11 starts) in his lone season with the Chargers.
In parts of four seasons spanning 37 games (21 starts), Dobbins has rushed for 2,252 yards and 21 TDs along with 59 receptions for 330 yards and one score with the Baltimore Ravens (2020, 2022-23) and Chargers.
"It's another good football player that we've seen firsthand," Broncos coach Sean Payton said Tuesday. "I've seen him for a while. The importance of that position group, we really like the group we're working with, (but) it's just another opportunity to possibly bring in another good football player who can help us win."
Dobbins joins Denver's running back depth chart that includes 2025 second-round draft pick RJ Harvey, Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin.
The Broncos waived long snapper Zach Triner to open a roster spot for Dobbins. Triner, 34, has played in 84 games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2019-24) and Miami Dolphins (2024).

Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. 'fine' after injury scare
Thomas appeared to injure his shoulder following a collision with cornerback Tyson Campbell during team drills. Thomas exited the field with trainers before returning to the sideline, however he did not go back into practice.
"He's fine. He absolutely could've gone back and played -- just bruised it a little bit," Coen said. "Said he had great range of motion, strength. He's all good. No issues, just precautionary.
"(If) he didn't come back out, he'd be really hurt. He was completely cleared to play."
Thomas, 22, recorded 87 catches for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns in 17 games (16 starts) in his rookie season last year. He was selected by the Jaguars with the 23rd overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Eagles RB Saquon Barkley leads NFL in retail sales
The Super Bowl LIX champion and 2024 NFL rushing leader became the first running back since 2017 to finish No. 1 on the chart, which tracked the sales of officially licensed player products from March 1, 2024 to Feb. 28, 2025.
Going beyond jersey sales, the rankings included more than 85 licensed products such as apparel, bobbleheads, accessories, figurines, wall decals, backpacks, drinkware and more.
"It is the most comprehensive and up-to-date snapshot of player-driven consumer demand, offering a strong indicator of the NFL's most marketable and influential athletes -- impacting everything from endorsements to overall earning potential," the NFLPA said in a press release.
Falling short to Barkley, just as his Kansas City Chiefs did in February's Super Bowl, quarterback Patrick Mahomes was No. 2 on the list. He was in the top five for the seventh consecutive year.
Eagles quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts finished third, followed by fellow signal-callers Jayden Daniels (Washington Commanders), C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans) and 2024 league MVP Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills).
At No. 7, Lions pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson was the highest-ranked defensive player. Detroit teammate and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was next, with Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons and Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson rounding out the top 10.
The NFLPA did not provide specific sales figures.

Chargers' Jim Harbaugh had cardiac ablation, hip surgery
"The doctors can't find anything wrong with me. A-grade," Harbaugh said Tuesday.
Harbaugh, 61, said in mid-October that he previously underwent ablations in 1999 and 2012. The procedure treats irregular heart rhythms.
The heart issues attracted major attention during the Chargers' 23-16 victory against the host Denver Broncos on Oct. 13.
Just before kickoff, Harbaugh said he experienced an "atrial flutter," also known as arrhythmia, and was examined in the medical tent on the sideline.
Then right after the game began, Harbaugh walked off the field with team trainers. Once the situation was under control, Harbaugh returned to the sideline midway through the first quarter.
This was the second time Harbaugh experienced arrhythmia during a game. The other came on Nov. 19, 2012, when he was coach of the San Francisco 49ers during a 32-7 victory over the Chicago Bears on "Monday Night Football."
Harbaugh met with his cardiologist on Oct. 14 and was placed on medication and wore a heart monitor for the following two weeks.
The Chargers went 11-6 during Harbaugh's first season as coach before getting routed 32-12 by the host Houston Texans in an AFC wild-card game.

Patriotsâ Stefon Diggs doesnât comment on viral video
In the video, posted to social media, Diggs is seen enjoying himself on a boat with three bikini-clad women that included top-selling rapper Cardi B, but he's also seen brandishing a plastic bag filled with a mysterious pink substance.
The 31-year-old Diggs has refrained from speaking about the incident, and did so again Tuesday despite some observers wondering if the four-time Pro Bowler could be in hot water with either his new team or the NFL at large.
First-year Patriots coach Mike Vrabel spoke recently on the importance of players making "good decisions."
"I kind of keep my personal life personal," Diggs said. "I had a conversation with Vrabel, obviously, and I'm going to echo everything that he said. Hope everyone makes good decisions. I had some conversations with people in the building as well. So, everything else is everything else, and the particulars are all internal."
A First-Team All-Pro in 2020, Diggs signed a three-year, $69 million contract with the Patriots in March.
He has described his rapport with Vrabel as being positive and expressed admiration for Vrabel's championship pedigree.
"I'm a huge fan of him," Diggs said. "I can't wait to play for him. He's got that itch that you want to run through a wall for him. I look forward to it. Me and him go back and forth in practice, and I'm not even participating."
A year ago, Diggs played in just eight games for the Houston Texans due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament, breaking a string of six straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin his career. He has amassed 857 receptions for 10,491 yards and 70 touchdowns during his 10-year career split among the Minnesota Vikings (2015-19), Buffalo Bills (2020-23) and Texans (2024).