Bo Nix has drawn comparison to Drew Brees early in his NFL career, so it came as little surprise that the Denver Broncos’ second-year quarterback spent some time this offseason with the Hall of Famer.

Brees won a Super Bowl while playing for Sean Payton for 15 seasons in New Orleans, and Payton saw a lot of similarities between the two when drafting Nix with the 12th overall pick in last year’s draft.

Nix led Denver to the playoffs as a rookie, throwing for 3,775 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while completing 66.3 percent of his passes. Like Brees, Nix doesn’t have elite arm strength but has been praised for his vision, footwork, grasp of the offense and leadership abilities.

During his first full NFL offseason, Nix spent time with Brees and noted throwing instructor Tom House while also hosting a few days of workouts with a group of skill position players.

“He’s someone who works his tail off, wants to improve and the whole offseason is planned out,” Payton said Wednesday. “He’s gone and visited Brees for four or five days and adds Tom House in here. There’s a lot that he wants to absorb in a fast period of time. That’s a great thing for a young player like that.

“Him just reaching out (to Brees) and just coordinating some time to dive into the offense, the schedule, the calendar, his schedule and his work week in season. All of that is just stuff he’s doing on his own.”

Payton said Nix visited with Brees in San Diego to learn more about the offensive scheme and talk about playing quarterback in the NFL. As for House, the well-known baseball instructor, Payton said the focus has been on mechanics and arm care work that may go unnoticed.

“There’s a lot of management of your arm and delivery. None of us will see exactly … there’s just certain warmup techniques if you will,” he said. “You’re not going to see a different release. The arm care for a pitcher might be different than the arm care of a quarterback. Then how you might warm up, there may be some parallels, but I don’t know that we’ll see it with our eyes.”

–Field Level Media

Arizona Cardinals first-round pick Walter Nolen III is sidelined with a calf injury and there is no timeline for his return.

The 21-year-old defensive lineman, selected 16th overall in the 2025 draft, was injured in offseason workouts, coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters on Wednesday.

Gannon didn’t rule out that the injury could stretch into the regular season.

“I don’t know that,” Gannon told reporters. “I really don’t. We’ll see how it goes. Each one’s a little bit different. Each injury’s a little bit different. Each guy’s a little bit different.”

Defensive tackle Bilal Nichols (neck) and outside linebacker BJ Ojulari (knee) will also be sidelined when Arizona opens training camp on Thursday.

Nichols was limited to six games (five starts) due to stinger issues last season. Ojulari missed the entire season after tearing the ACL in his left knee during 2024 training camp.

“They want to be out there with their teammates and practice,” Gannon said. “We need all three. But when they’re healthy, they’ll play.”

Nolen was a consensus All-American last season while racking up 14 tackles for loss (including 6.5 sacks) for Ole Miss. He spent his previous two college seasons at Texas A&M.

Nichols, 28, has 248 tackles and 14 sacks in 100 games (88 starts) over eight seasons with the Chicago Bears (2018-21), Las Vegas Raiders (2022-23) and Cardinals.

Ojulari, 23, had 40 tackles and four sacks while playing in all 17 games as a reserve as a rookie in 2023.

–Field Level Media

The Green Bay Packers are shifting Bo Melton from wide receiver to cornerback during training camp to see what he can do in the defensive secondary.

Melton, 26, made eight receptions on 17 targets for 91 yards in 17 games as a second-year reserve last season, and has 24 career catches for 309 yards and one score in 22 games (one start). He has also caught three passes for 42 yards and one touchdown in three career playoff games.

“Bo is going to spend most of his time at corner,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said at a press conference on Wednesday. “We know what he can do for us as a receiver and on special teams. He’s been an important part of our football team the last couple of years. We’re excited to see what he might be able to do at corner on defense.

“I think we switched his number to 16 because that looks a little bit better than the 80 he was running out there at camp,” Gutekunst continued. “He’ll spend most of his time, especially these first three or four weeks, at corner.”

Melton also is a gunner on special teams, and the team began to try him at cornerback during the offseason workout program.

The Seattle Seahawks selected Melton in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Rutgers, where he played 56 games at receiver and had 164 catches for 2,011 yards and 11 touchdowns from 2017-21.

His brother, Max Melton, 23, was a cornerback at Rutgers who plays for the Arizona Cardinals.

“When (the change) was brought to my attention, I started working a little more, working with some DB trainers, and I feel like I’m good with the movements,” Bo Melton said. “I just have to keep indulging in the playbook.”

Melton leaves a crowded wide receivers room headed by veterans Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson, the latter of whom is recovering from an ACL tear.

The Packers went against their history and selected a wide receiver in the first round, speedster Matthew Golden, as well as third-round pick Savion Williams. Green Bay also signed seventh-year pro Mecole Hardman, 27, a three-time Super Bowl champion with Kansas City (2019, 2022-23).

Among the veteran cornerbacks on the Packers are Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine and Nate Hobbs.

Green Bay released two-time All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander on June 9 amid a contentious relationship between the two parties. The Packers were seeking to restructure his contract, frustrated over his lack of availability. Alexander, 28, appeared in just 14 games over the past two seasons combined.

Alexander signed with the Baltimore Ravens on June 18.

–Field Level Media

One day after losing Tyrann Mathieu to retirement, the New Orleans Saints are in agreement with safety Julian Blackmon on a one-year deal worth up to $5.5 million, according to multiple reports.

Blackmon, 26, has 10 career interceptions, 21 passes defensed and 300 tackles in five seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, who selected him in the third round of the 2020 draft. He started 62 of 66 career games for the Colts, including 16 last season.

A three-time All-Pro selected to three Pro Bowls, Mathieu announced Tuesday that he was retiring after 12 NFL seasons. His 36 picks were second in the NFL among active players.

Blackmon had three interceptions for the Colts in 2024 while playing on a one-year contract.

–Field Level Media

Slot receiver Chris Godwin is on the physically unable to perform list and it’s too early for Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles to declare his status for Week 1 of the regular season in September.

Godwin, 29, is itching to get back on the field. He spent the past nine months working to be ready, rehabbing from a dislocated ankle and additional damage in his lower leg.

He was lost for the season in a 41-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the team’s seventh game of the season while on pace for another 100-catch season. He wrapped up 2024 with 50 receptions for 576 yards and five touchdowns.

“He’s coming along great,” Bowles said.

“He’s on track. We’ve got to see what the process is for him to get out on the field and do some things,” Bowles added. “We’ll continue to listen to the doctors and the trainers. He’s in great spirits, as well. Again, I don’t have a timeline on that, but hopefully it’ll be soon.”

The offensive system in Tampa is likely to be largely the same but there is a transition at offensive coordinator for the third consecutive year. Josh Grizzard was promoted from passing game coordinator to replace new Jaguars head coach Liam Coen. Coen was hired before the 2024 season, replacing 2023 offensive coordinator Dave Canales. Canales was hired as head coach of the Carolina Panthers in 2024.

Mike Evans is back as the No. 1 receiver for the Bucs. Rookie Emeka Egbuka and 2024 rookie Jalen McMillan are vying for snaps with Godwin’s return date uncertain.

Grizzard said last week in an interview on WFLA that McMillan was in a “good spot.”

“I think that where (McMillan) left last season and the progress he showed on and off the field, and you could see that carry over into the spring with not having Chris out there and bringing Emeka along and him showing Emeka the ropes — then his ability to just do that and be himself and really just take off where he left off, then I think that would be huge if we were just going to actually circle one,” Grizzard said. “But you know how it is: At the end of the day, it takes all 11. And he’s in a good spot.”

–Field Level Media

Bills general manager Billy Beane is going to bat for first-round pick Maxwell Hairston Jr.

The 30th overall pick in April, Hairston was sued by a woman who claims she was sexually assaulted by Hairston at the University of Kentucky in 2021.

Beane made it a personal mission to meet Hairston’s close family, including his parents, and his scouting staff thoroughly investigated the alleged incident prior to the draft, he said. Beane said the Bills knocked on a lot of doors and corroborated their belief that Hairston was an “impeccable” person during their work scouting his as a prospect.

He described the lawsuit linking Hairston — who would’ve been 17 years old at the time of the alleged incident — to the matter was frustrating.

“Frustrating because, in the legal world you can’t sit there and say things back and forth. You’ve got to let it go,” Beane said. “This happened to this young man over four years ago. He gave up his phone to prove … he took a polygraph test. This kid didn’t run from anything, he answered all of that. We have to remember in society that people can make accusations and do things. I have no idea what the agenda is there. I can tell you, every stone we turned over, every door we looked behind, this is a very good young man. A young man you would let in your house, watch your kids, hang out with whoever.

“He is genuinely a good person. … I think we need to remember in the world, I’m not going to get into it, but we see these accusations, sometimes these guys can be victims, too. They make a lot of money. Rarely do people defend them. That’s hard for me in this seat sometimes. Because I’ve seen it. We’ve had it here with a player here a few years ago that’s no longer here that’s wrongly accused.

“Anyone who has met Maxwell Hairston genuinely knows what a great young man he is.”

The fastest player clocked in the 40-yard dash at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, Hairston touched speeds approaching 25 mph and was officially timed at 4.28 in the 40.

Hairston is expected to play a significant role in Buffalo’s defense as the Bills seek dramatic improvement from an inconsistent season stopping opponents from moving the ball through the air. He received some reps with the first-team defense and was on the field in the goal line stops package on Wednesday.

He came close to picking off a pass thrown by Josh Allen, which would’ve tested his willingness to keep his word on draft night.

Hairston said when Allen FaceTimed him on draft night, he told him, “If I ever pick you off in practice I’m keeping that ball. It’s not personal but you’re kinda just that guy.”

–Field Level Media

Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio said the team is letting the legal process play out while staying in communication with the league about the status of safety Jimmie Ward, who was arrested last month on a felony assault family violence charge.

Ward was in the building as the Texans reported to training camp, but Caserio said the veteran would not have been taking part in on-field drills anyway as he recovers from a foot injury that required season-ending surgery.

Ward, 33, was arrested at his home in Magnolia, Texas, around 5:30 a.m. on June 12 and held on a third-degree felony charge. He was released on a $30,000 bond with his next court date scheduled for Aug. 13. He could be suspended by the league.

“Working through that. Kind of let the legal process take care of itself,” Caserio said Wednesday. “We have been in contact with the league. We will work with the league. We will be compliant on our end, do the best we can.

“So I think it’s day-to-day, but kind of let that process take care of itself. Whatever the outcome is we’ll handle it accordingly.”

Ward recorded 48 tackles and two interceptions — one returned for a touchdown — in 10 games (all starts) last season. He 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.

“It’s unfortunate any time something like that happens and comes out in the news and that happens to one of your players,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Jimmy is a guy that I’ve known the longest. Since I first started in the NFL I’ve worked with Jimmy. I know the type of guy he is, and we’ll just let the legal situation play itself out.”

Ward was placed on the team’s physically unable to perform list Wednesday along with several other players, including running back Joe Mixon, who has been sidelined this offseason by an ankle injury.

“Not going to put any timetables on anything. We’ll deal with it,” Caserio said. “We have 90 players here. Some are able to practice and some aren’t. At some point they will be able to practice. So as far as what it looks like once the regular season starts, probably a long way away from that.”

Mixon’s absence will provide more reps to a running back depth chart that includes former Cleveland Brown Nick Chubb.

“Any time a guy gets another opportunity another place, you’re going to have a chip on your shoulder,” Ryans said. “I think Nick has done it in the league for a long time. Happy to have him. Excited to see him just continue to gel with our guys.

“It’s just a matter of him continuing to gel with the guys in the locker room and do what he does: run the football, play football the way he plays football. It’s impressive to watch.”

–Field Level Media