5 things you need to know for Friday

Hey there football fans! Here are five things from yesterday that you need to know to start off your Fridays:

DI Derek Wolfe believes he'll be ready for Week 1. The Broncos' defensive end has missed time with an ankle injury during preseason.

Wolfe enjoyed a breakout year in 2015, where he ended the season ranked ninth of 113 interior linemen with a PFF overall grade of 88.8. He excelled against the run all season, and ended the campaign ranked first among all 3-4 defensive ends with a run stop percentage of 13.0 percent. Wolfe carried his dominance against the run over to 2016, and ended the 2016 season ranked second among 3-4 defensive ends with a run stop percentage of 9.6 percent.

Wolfe has not just been effective against the run, he’s also been extremely productive as a pass-rusher. Over the last two seasons, Wolfe has accumulated 14 sacks, the third highest mark among the league’s 3-4 defensive ends. His 78 total pressures (combined sacks, hits and hurries) ranks ninth.

The 49ers acquire Laken Tomlinson from the Lions. Do get Tomlinson, the 49ers gave up a 2019 fifth-round pick.

Tomlinson’s play has yet to live up to expectations, grading poorly in each of his first two seasons. As a rookie in 2015, he earned an overall grade of 49.1 which ranked 53rd among guards and this past season he earned a 43.9 overall grade which ranked 64th out of 75 qualifiers.

Tomlinson’s woes have mostly been highlighted in the run game. His 2016 run-block grade of 38.4 ranked 70th out of 75 qualifiers.

This preseason Tomlinson has not fared much better earning an overall grade of 59.1 on 59 total snaps between two games.

The Eagles and DE Steven Means agreed to a one-year extension. This likely secures him a roster spot, and he should be part of a lengthy pass-rushing rotation.

The fifth-year defensive end has seen limited action since entering the league, and managed just 120 regular-season snaps in the last four seasons. He played 36 of those snaps for the Eagles in 2016, and ended the campaign with a PFF overall grade of 66.8.

Means has found impressive form for the last two preseasons, and his performances in 2017 have warranted the contract extension. Through three preseason games, Means has tallied the third-most quarterback pressures (11) among 4-3 defensive ends, and ranks fourth among all edge players with a PFF overall grade of 89.9.

The Cowboys are hoping to reach and extension with G Zack Martin. Martin has been one of the better guards in the NFL during his career.

Martin’s 97.7 in pass-blocking efficiency last year (measures pressure allowed on per-snap basis with weighting toward sacks) was fifth best among 77 qualifying guards. He allowed only one quarterback hit, good for second-fewest among guards with at least 500 pass-block snaps.

Truly prolific in 2016, Martin finished the season with the second-highest overall grade among 75 qualifying guards, with an 88.6. His run-block grade of 89.4 was the highest among 74 qualifying guards.

WR Jermaine Kearse is on the trading block. The Seahawks are reportedly interested in trading the six-year pro.

Despite being targeted 76 times in 2016 (second most for the wide receiver unit), Kearse only scored one touchdown and the four interceptions thrown while targeting him led the team.

Kearse ranked 88th out of 96 qualifying wide receivers with 0.95 yards per route run in 2016 even though he ranked 13th in the league with 25 percent of his targets on deep passes (20+ yards).