8:28 AM ET DANIEL SNYDER’S FINAL breakup from his longtime minority partners in Washington’s NFL franchise began with a footnote in an April 2020 financial report. The note revealed a $55 million credit line the team had taken out 16 months earlier without the knowledge and required approval of Snyder’s minority partners — the three

8:03 AM ET 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

6:35 AM ET The Washington Commanders placed the franchise tag on defensive tackle Daron Payne on Tuesday, making Payne the first player to receive the tag this offseason, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. If Payne plays on the franchise tag, he is projected to receive $18.937 million. It is a nonexclusive tag, meaning other teams

3:38 PM ET The Washington Commanders released quarterback Carson Wentz on Monday, in a move that had been long expected. The move saves Washington $26.176 million on the salary cap this offseason. Wentz had two years remaining on his contract but had no guaranteed money. The Commanders also released defensive back Bobby McCain on Monday,

10:07 AM ET Quarterbacks C.J. Stroud, Will Levis and Anthony Richardson will throw at the NFL scouting combine Saturday, but Bryce Young will wait for Alabama’s pro day on March 23, sources told ESPN’s Jordan Reid on Monday. Although he won’t throw, Young will go through medicals and measurements, the sources told Reid. Richardson also

4:37 PM ET INDIANAPOLIS — NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller said the health & safety innovation committee will recommend an expanded use of the Guardian Cap to the competition committee after favorable results in 2022. According to Miller, concussions were down 52% for offensive and defensive linemen, tight ends and linebackers who wore the

8:46 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry has reached an agreement to sell his portion of the team to Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam at a $3.5 billion valuation, sources told ESPN. The deal, which represents Lasry’s portion of the Bucks, or approximately 25% of the team, is still pending

9:29 AM ET Longtime New England Patriots captain Devin McCourty passionately defended Mac Jones as the team’s quarterback of the future, adding that team leaders such as Jones are encouraged by coach Bill Belichick to speak up. “What I love about Mac is that Mac came into a leadership role as a quarterback and he

10:08 AM ET INDIANAPOLIS — The 2023 season will be Dak Prescott‘s eighth as the Dallas Cowboys‘ starting quarterback, and despite Prescott winning just two playoff games, executive vice president Stephen Jones still believes Prescott can take the franchise to its first Super Bowl since 1995. “I’ve got all the faith in the world we

6:45 AM ET NFL Nation reporters We’re quickly approaching the NFL‘s version of Silly Season, as the free agency negotiating period will start March 13 in the lead-up to the start of the league year on March 15. Many players will be getting paid by their current teams, while others will be on the move.