Mar 3, 2023 NFL NationESPN Before NFL free agency begins, teams are allowed to apply franchise tags to players beginning Feb. 21 through March 7 to give them a sense of what they need to do before the league year starts on March 15. The franchise tag is a designation that teams can apply to

6:00 AM ET BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns are entering a crucial season. By trading three first-round picks to the Houston Texans for quarterback Deshaun Watson before signing him to a record $230 million fully guaranteed deal, the Browns effectively pushed in all their chips to win now. Best of NFL Nation &• What

Mar 2, 2023 NFL team decision-makers are digging into 2023 draft preparations as combine workouts kick off in Indianapolis Thursday. Of course, everything will come back to the game tape, but prepare yourself for a few “wow” workouts to really get people talking this week, even if it’s just one part of the evaluation. Every

5:03 PM ET INDIANAPOLIS — The big men opened the workout portion of the NFL scouting combine Thursday in Lucas Oil Stadium. It didn’t take long for one of them to set the tone. The University of Pittsburgh‘s Calijah Kancey, at 6-foot-1, 281 pounds, had a 4.67 official time in the 40-yard dash, the fastest

1:30 PM ET In a since-deleted tweet Thursday morning, Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman called out general manager Eric DeCosta for his comments about the team’s disappointing track record for drafting pass-catchers. Bateman, who was a first-round pick by the Ravens in 2021, tweeted: “How bout you play to your player’s strength and &

4:42 PM ET NFL referee Jerome Boger is retiring, the league announced Thursday. The NFL’s longest tenured crew chief, Boger is one of 10 officials who have announced their retirement this offseason. Boger joined the league in 2004 as a line judge and was promoted to referee in 2006. The NFL selected him as the

10:19 AM ET Jalen Carter returned to the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis on Thursday, a day after the former Georgia star was arrested on charges of reckless driving and racing in connection with a crash that killed a Bulldogs teammate and a recruiting staff member. Carter, one of the top prospects in next month’s

12:41 PM ET The Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to place the franchise tag on tight end Evan Engram, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday. The tight end franchise tag is $11.345 million. The deadline for teams to use the franchise tag is Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. The Jaguars are also expected to

2:58 PM ET Carolina Panthers founder Jerry Richardson died Wednesday night at his home in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was 86. Richardson was celebrated for bringing the NFL to Carolina in 1995, but his tenure with the team ended after the 2017 season amid allegations of sexual and racial workplace misconduct. “Jerry Richardson’s contributions to

12:49 PM ET INDIANAPOLIS — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are $55 million above the salary cap threshold, are expected to release veteran tight end Cameron Brate, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Thursday. Brate carries a $5 million salary cap hit, and his release will be one of several roster moves made by