9:07 AM ET Mike Reiss Close ESPN Staff Writer Covered Patriots since 1997 Joined ESPN in 2009 Michael Rothstein Close ESPN Staff Writer Previously covered University of Michigan for ESPN.com and AnnArbor.com Also covered Notre Dame for Fort Wayne Journal Gazette FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots are acquiring third-year tight end Michael Roberts

6:52 PM ET FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Second-year New England Patriots running back Sony Michel underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his knee earlier this offseason, a source confirms, which explains his absence from mandatory minicamp last week. The scope was considered precautionary, per sources, and is not expected to affect Michel’s availability for the start of

5:27 PM ET The New England Patriots filed tampering charges Wednesday against the Houston Texans for the attempted general manager hire of Nick Caserio, league sources told ESPN. The league now is expected to gather relevant informant to open its investigation against Houston, sources said. Houston fired general manager Brian Gaine the night after New

2:16 AM ET METAIRIE, La. — Sean Payton must have had contract extensions on the brain Tuesday after he finished talking about defensive end Cameron Jordan’s new three-year deal with the New Orleans Saints. Because when Payton was asked a question about receiver Michael Thomas’ growth, the coach said, “He’ll be the next one, I’m

7:30 AM ET Kevin SeifertNFL Nation Close ESPN.com national NFL writer ESPN.com NFC North reporter, 2008-2013 Covered Vikings for Minneapolis Star Tribune, 1999-2008 NFL teams and players spend most of the offseason touting improvement. Not every move works out, of course, and sometimes the missed opportunities are obvious to the naked eye. Here are seven

5:20 PM ET HOUSTON — In his first press conference since Brian Gaine was fired on Friday, Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien said it was a decision CEO Cal McNair made “after a thorough evaluation of the football operation.” When asked when he realized it was not going to work out with Gaine, O’Brien

1:00 AM ET KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When the Kansas City Chiefs held a news conference recently to introduce new defensive end Frank Clark, the player who showed up first to publicly welcome him wasn’t one of their long-time veterans. It was another new arrival, safety Tyrann Mathieu. That may have been a small gesture

12:26 AM ET MINNEAPOLIS — After months of uncertainty surrounding the status of his contract for the upcoming season, veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph gained some clarity on Monday evening. A league source told ESPN that Rudolph agreed to terms of a contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings and will sign his new deal on

2:39 PM ET JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue will not attend the team’s mandatory minicamp this week because he wants a new contract. “I will not be attending minicamp as my contract has not been resolved,” Ngakoue said in a statement to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “I remain committed to Jacksonville, the fans

1:00 AM ET FRISCO, Texas — The seconds tick off the clock in a two-minute drill at the end of the fifth organized team activity of the Dallas Cowboys‘ offseason. Music plays over the loud speakers inside the Ford Center as quarterback Dak Prescott looks about 15 yards to his left at Cowboys offensive coordinator