According to Ian Rapoport, the Steelers restructured OLB Alex Highsmith‘s contract and created $7 million in cap space.  Pittsburgh was getting low on cap space and this gives them a little more breathing room.  Highsmith, 26, was a two-year starter at UNC-Charlotte and earned third-team All-American honors in 2019. The Steelers selected him in the third round with the No. 102 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.  He was in the final year of a four-year, $4,499,404 contract that includes an $832,295 signing bonus and was due a base salary of $2.7 million in 2023 when he signed a four-ye ..read more

Bengals 2023 first-round DE Myles Murphy reflected on what his life was like preparing for the draft a year ago. After his first season in the NFL, Murphy shared what he’s learned and how he’s using that to get better. “There are two types of conditions — there is a Combine condition and there is football condition,” Murphy said, via Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network. “I was in great Combine condition a year ago but not in good football condition. So I feel like right now I’m in really good football condition. My endurance is great, the strength is there. So I feel like my preparation for t ..read more

Adam Schefter reports that the Steelers are not expected to pick up the $25 million fifth-year option on recently acquired QB Justin Fields. The Bears traded Fields to the Steelers last month for a conditional 2025 sixth-round pick that can improve to a fourth-round pick if Fields plays 51 percent of the snaps in 2024.  It seemed obvious following the trade that Pittsburgh wouldn’t pick up the option and it was later mentioned that the team was planning to sign QB Russell Wilson to an extension. Fields, 25, was selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Bears. Chicago trad ..read more

In an interview with Justin Melo, South Carolina WR Xavier Legette revealed that he has visited with 14 different NFL teams. The full list from Legette includes:  49ers Broncos Buccaneers Chargers Chiefs Colts Eagles Jaguars Lions Packers Ravens Steelers Texans He has also had a visit with the Carolina Panthers, which would make it fourteen total visits for him so far. He is currently projected to be a first or second-round pick in the draft this week. Teams can host up to 30 players for interviews and medical evaluations at their own facilities, with players who live or go to college ..read more

Bengals Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer thinks tackle is a position to watch for the Bengals with their first-round pick at No. 18 overall.  Houston OT Patrick Paul took an official visit with the Bengals. (MLFootball) TCU OT Brandon Coleman had an official visit with the Bengals. (MLFootball) Browns Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes the Browns don’t pick until Day 2 and defensive tackle and running back are among their priorities.  The Athletic’s Zac Jackson writes with no major pressing needs on the roster, the Browns and GM Andrew Berry are set up well to trade back in ..read more

According to Albert Breer, the Titans hosted Oregon State RT Taliese Fuaga for an official 30 visit.  Tennessee is the fourth team to have a reported visit with Fuaga. The full list includes:  Titans Bengals (Ryan Fowler) Cowboys (Nick Harris) Steelers (Ray Fittipaldo) Fuaga has established himself as one of the top tackle prospects in this class and it’s looking more and more like he’ll end up being a top-20 selection.  Teams can host up to 30 players for interviews and medical evaluations at their own facilities, with players who live or go to college in the local ..read more

Bengals The Bengals have been rumored to be interested in one of the many strong offensive tackle prospects in the first round of the upcoming draft. New Cincinnati OC Dan Pitcher described what they like at that position. “When (Trent Brown) engages a rusher on the edge and that rusher tries to do anything other than run around him, he’s able to blunt that rush and keep the width of the pocket,” Pitcher said, via Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. “A lot of time, quite honestly, guys just quit. Guys stop rushing. When they engage him and try to collapse him to the spot and are not going anywher ..read more

According to Ian Rapoport, Iowa DB Cooper DeJean had official visits with four teams, including the Seahawks, Steelers, Eagles and Bills.  Rapoport notes DeJean had a compressed pre-draft process due to his recovery from a fractured fibula late last season and it only allowed him time for four visits.  He is widely considered a first-round draft selection but it’s not yet clear whether he’ll be asked to be a cornerback or safety at the next level.  Teams can host up to 30 players for interviews and medical evaluations at their own facilities, with players who live or go to coll ..read more

Bengals Bengals HC Zac Taylor mentioned QB Joe Burrow‘s recovery from his wrist surgery is going well and he’s on track to participate in the later phases of offseason workouts. (Ben Baby) Taylor added he expects WR Tee Higgins to play for them this season but he “won’t comment” about his participation in voluntary offseason workouts. (Paul Dehner Jr.) Taylor also commented on S Daxton Hill‘s role this offseason: “We’ve had a pretty good idea in our minds, and we’ll let the off-season play out with that before we get into it here but feel comfortable with our communication with Dax and where ..read more

Browns ESPN’s Jordan Reid mentions he’s heard the Browns are paying particularly close attention to the offensive tackle class this year and that could be a target for them on Day 2 of the draft with their first picks.  According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Tulane QB Michael Pratt visited the Browns.  According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Oregon WR Troy Franklin has a predraft visit with Cleveland. Cincinnati DT Jowon Briggs took an official visit with the Browns. (Tony Pauline) UAB WR Tejhuan Palmer took an official 30 visit with the Browns. (Tony Pauline) British Columbia ..read more