By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Houston has been anything but normal in the last month, but on Sunday, a little bit of normalcy will return to the city, if only for a few hours.

While the Texans will take the field to the raucous cheers of their fans for a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the franchise will make sure those in attendance and watching on television won’t forget the efforts of the brave in Houston. Area first responders, Houston city officials and related members vital to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts will be honored by the franchise before the game Sunday, the team announced Thursday. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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Through all of the ups and downs in Oakland over most of the last two decades, there’s been one constant: Sebastian Janikowski.

The kicker, selected 17th overall in 2000 by the Raiders, has spent his entire career in Oakland, earning a reputation as a strong-legged, mostly dependable boot for the Silver and Black. It sounds like his long tenure in Oakland could be facing a serious threat, though, seemingly out of nowhere. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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With a bevy of suspensions and injuries hurting the Cowboys‘ depth, Dallas added a linebacker on Sunday.

Dallas traded an undisclosed 2018 draft pick to Green Bay for linebacker Jay Elliott, the team announced. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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A day after 32 teams trimmed their rosters from 90 to 53, a collection of players have been claimed by new employers.

Among those: Quarterback Brad Kaaya, who moves from Detroit to Carolina, and tight end Will Tye, who will stay in the same city but switch teams, going from the Giants to the Jets.

Wideout Kasen Williams, a preseason standout in Seattle, joins the Browns. Kicker Cody Parkey, whose missed kick in Miami cost Cleveland a win last season, has joined the Dolphins.

The full list of claims, made official by the league on Sunday, is below. Continue reading →

By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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As we hurtle toward the regular season, check out our division-by-division primers highlighting players and storylines to watch in 2017. Nick Shook tackles the AFC West below.

Most significant changes from 2016

DENVER BRONCOS: Trevor Siemian was often left running for his life in Denver last season, cutting down the Broncos‘ title defense at the knees. Denver has since attempted to upgrade the offensive line, adding former Cowboys guard Ronald Leary and Raiders tackle Menelik Watson (who was atrocious in Oakland in place of Donald Penn late last season), and drafting left tackle Garett Bolles, who won the starting job in camp. Denver’s season will ride on how well this rebuilt unit performs, in both giving Siemian time to work and the running backs — including newcomer Jamaal Charles — room to run.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: Kansas City bid adieu to Jeremy Maclin, opening up a bigger role for second-year dynamo Tyreek Hill, who returns with plenty of hype in his saddlebags. We can’t talk about the Chiefs without mentioning Patrick Mahomes — though if things go smoothly, he’ll spend 2017 wearing an earpiece and a ball cap. The Chiefs lost Spencer Ware to a significant knee injury, thinning out their backfield while also creating an opportunity for preseason sensation Kareem Hunt. A bigger role should also be expected for wideout Chris Conley. Bennie Logan will attempt to replace the departed Dontari Poe at nose tackle, and Chris Jones is ticketed for enhanced responsibilities with Jaye Howard now in Chicago. Continue reading →