While NFL free agency and the offseason are intriguing in their own right, the rumors surrounding the people who break the news to the fans is that much more interesting. It appears that one of those insiders is switching teams and making a move of her own.

Longtime ESPN NFL insider Diana Russini is reportedly heading to The Athletic to become their top NFL insider, according to Andrew Marchand. Russini had been with ESPN for eight years but now joins the New York Times-owned sports media outlet.

The Times just recently announced that all of its sports coverage would come from The Athletic, putting more pressure on the outlet that has faced losses ever since the newspaper acquired it. Only in the last quarter has The Athletic's subscription base grown since the purchase in January 2022.

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Focusing on better NFL coverage could bring The Athletic back into the elite fold of sports media coverage, and Russini is a great hire if that's what the company is aiming for. Both ESPN and The Athletic have dealt with major layoffs and cutbacks recently, making this move one to keep on eye on.

Diana Russini has appeared on virtually every major show on ESPN that covers the NFL. She has more than proven herself to be an elite reporter and insider and will look to improve her standing and work on her craft with The Athletic. With the 2023 NFL season less than a month away, Russini's work should be seen on The Athletic within the next couple of weeks.