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The Denver Broncos seemingly came out of nowhere to acquire quarterback Russell Wilson in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks in March.
Fans and pundits were surprised by the trade because there had been no reporting indicating it was about to happen, and no reports that it was even being negotiated. That was intentional.
“The fact that this did not leak — we had a month of negotiations between [Seahawks GM] John [Schneider] and I and it didn’t leak,” Broncos general manager George Paton said at Wilson’s introductory press conference in the spring.
“It’s a credit to John and a credit to the Seahawks, the Broncos, and ‘Russ’ and his team. … We didn’t want it to get out. You never know. If it gets out, it could blow up the deal. I credit our organization and the leadership group that knew — the inner circle — that kept it in-house.”
Paton holds his cards close to his chest and there haven’t been as many leaks out of the team’s facility as there were before Paton was hired.
Now the Broncos have begun — or eventually will begin — negotiations with Wilson’s agent on a big contract extension. Not surprisingly, Paton doesn’t plan to let any of the negotiation details slip.
“We all want Russell here a long time,” Paton said when asked about Wilson’s contract negotiations during his pre-camp press conference on Tuesday. “I appreciate the question. Out of respect for his team and our team, we’re going to keep it in-house — any discussions we may or may not have. I have a really good relationship with Russ’ agent, Mark Rodgers, and at the right time, we’ll get a deal done.”
Judging from the current quarterback market, it wouldn’t be surprising if Rodgers seeks a contract in the range of $46-50 million per season for his client. All parties kept things quiet when the trade was being negotiated, so it’s probably safe to assume they’ll keep contract negotiations quiet as well.
Denver wants to sign Wilson to an extension, but fans might not hear much about negotiations until after the deal is signed. That’s the way the Broncos like to do business.
President Joe Biden will speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping as tensions between the two countries rise amid reports that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is considering a visit to Taiwan.
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2022-07-28T15:56:16Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Broncos are keeping Russell Wilson contract talks in-house
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https://sports.yahoo.com/broncos-keeping-russell-wilson-contract-143019615.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/broncos-keeping-russell-wilson-contract-143019615.html?src=rss
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The Indianapolis Colts removed defensive tackle Eric Johnson from the Active/Non-Football Injury list (NFI), the team announced Thursday.
Johnson was placed on the list just before the start of camp but wasn’t expected to stay there long. General manager Chris Ballard told reporters during his pre-training camp press conference that Johnson tweaked his back while working out over summer break.
Because he did so away from the team, he went on a different list. Had he been injured during a team practice, he would have gone on the PUP list like Shaquille Leonard and Mike Strachan.
Johnson was a fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft out of Missouri State. He will be competing for one of the rotational spots on the interior defensive line behind DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart.
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2022-07-28T15:56:24Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Colts remove DT Eric Johnson from NFI list
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https://sports.yahoo.com/colts-remove-dt-eric-johnson-144756491.html?src=rss
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The Baltimore Ravens saw their running back position get hit hard with injuries over the course of 2021. They lost rushers JK Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill to season-ending ailments before the year began, leaving the team scrambling to sign veterans such as Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman and Le’Veon Bell.
The 2022 offseason has been one where Baltimore has addressed depth at multiple key positions, including running back. They drafted Tyler Badie out of the University of Missouri in the sixth round of the draft as well as signing multiple veterans, including Mike Davis. They also recently added Corey Clement as another experienced option who could end up fighting for a roster spot.
Standing at 5-foot-10 and weighing around 220 pounds, Clement went undrafted in 2017 out of the University of Wisconsin. However, he carved out a solid role on the Philadelphia Eagles for multiple years, including on their Super Bowl-winning team in 2018. He most recently spent time with the Dallas Cowboys, and over the course of his five-year NFL career he’s totaled 196 carries for 795 yards and seven touchdowns, as well as catching 43 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns.
The veteran is able to work well out of the backfield as a pass catcher, much like many of the other additions that the team made at the position. Baltimore could look to use their running backs in the pass game more than in previous years, which would add more wrinkles to offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s system.
Clement isn’t a lock to make the roster, but he’s a solid depth piece with uncertainty still hanging over when Dobbins and Edwards will return to action. Baltimore has accumulated very good depth behind their stars at running back, and Clement can certainly make a case for a spot on the final team with a strong training camp and preseason.
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2022-07-28T15:57:04Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Grading the Ravens’ signing of RB Corey Clement
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https://sports.yahoo.com/grading-ravens-signing-rb-corey-151226615.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/grading-ravens-signing-rb-corey-151226615.html?src=rss
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When the Los Angeles Rams took Jacob Harris with the 141st overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, they took him intending to deploy him as a hybrid tight end/wide receiver. But with Harris entering his sophomore season in the NFL, the Rams are intrigued by the idea of having Harris transition to playing wide receiver full-time.
In a fantastic piece by The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue (check out the full article here), she highlights the process in which Harris discovered he’d be making a move to wide receiver on the depth chart.
With training camp underway, receivers coach Eric Yarber likes what Harris has shown, calling him “a weapon” thanks to his speed and size, which you can’t teach.
Harris has an uncanny build at the wide receiver position, standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 210-215 pounds while having a massive wingspan. The decision to make Harris a wide receiver technically came last season, but Harris suffered a season-ending knee injury that derailed his rookie campaign.
Besides making the transition to wide receiver, Harris now has a locker next to Allen Robinson during training camp.
Just a few days into training camp, Harris is relishing the opportunity to get pointers from an experienced wideout, which is something the veteran wide receiver wishes he had when he entered the league.
Cooper Kupp, Robinson, and Van Jefferson are expected to head the wide receiver room for the Rams entering the upcoming season. But with Los Angeles needing depth behind those guys, Harris is hoping to prove that he can contribute at the wide receiver position moving forward.
To view past editions of The Hill’s 12:30 Report, click here: https://bit.ly/30ARS1U To receive The Hill’s 12:30 Report in your inbox, please sign up here: https://bit.ly/3qmIoS9 –> A midday take on what’s happening in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.* *Ha. Haha. Hahah. Sniff. Haha. Sniff. Ha–breaks down crying hysterically. …
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2022-07-28T15:57:17Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Jacob Harris committed to playing WR full-time for the Rams
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https://sports.yahoo.com/jacob-harris-committed-playing-wr-145814906.html?src=rss
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Rams will hold first padded practice of training camp on Friday
The Rams wrapped up the first portion of training camp on Wednesday, which was their fourth official practice. All four sessions so far have been closed to the public as the team gets up to speed before welcoming fans to UC Irvine for 11 open practices.
After an off day on Thursday, the Rams will be back in action on Friday for their first open practice of camp. It’ll also be the first padded practice of the summer, ramping up the level of competition for everyone on the field.
“I like the way that these guys are positively pushing one other, but still being smart, too,” McVay said after Wednesday’s practice. “We don’t have the pads on yet. That’s when you can really get a good feel for playing real 11-on-11 and that’s what we’re looking forward to when we get back, we’ll have the pads on the next time you guys see us.”
One of the primary goals of training camp is getting through practices without suffering any significant injuries, which makes it tough to go full speed when the pads do come on. McVay wants to see his guys battling, but he also wants to guard against injury.
The Rams have to take advantage of every practice, though, knowing their top players won’t participate in preseason games.
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2022-07-28T15:57:31Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Rams will hold first padded practice of training camp on Friday
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https://sports.yahoo.com/rams-hold-first-padded-practice-144528249.html?src=rss
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Tennessee Titans fans have been waiting for the team to make a move at the wide receiver position this offseason, and while the team did make one on Thursday, it wasn’t the splash move fans are hoping for.
The team announced it has swapped out wide receivers, signing Terry Godwin and waiving wideout Juwan Green, who was signed earlier this offseason after a successful workout.
A former seventh-round pick of the Carolina Panthers in 2019, Godwin hasn’t played in a game since the 2020 season, when he appeared in three for the Jacksonville Jaguars and caught three passes for 32 yards.
Godwin also returned two kicks that year and played 12 snaps in total on special teams.
Just like Green, Godwin is a major longshot to make the initial 53-man roster out of training camp, even with Tennessee’s uncertain situation at the position. The best he can hope for is a spot on the practice squad.
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2022-07-28T15:57:58Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Titans sign Terry Godwin, waive Juwan Green
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https://sports.yahoo.com/titans-sign-terry-godwin-waive-142329200.html?src=rss
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The Arizona Cardinals have not done anything in free agency to address the void that was left when Chandler Jones signed with the Las Vegas Raiders. They have the opportunity to do so if it is something they wish.
At long last, the San Francisco 49rs released veteran pass rusher Dee Ford. It was a move that the team knew it would make to clear cap space after he dealt with injuries all three seasons he was with the team.
Ford, who was a Pro Bowler in 2018 with the Kansas City Chiefs and had 13 sacks, did not make it through a full season healthy in any of the three seasons he played for the Niners. His best season was 2019 when he had 6.5 sacks in 11 games. In 2020 and 2021, he played in a total of seven games and had a total of 152 defensive snaps.
He had three sacks in six games last season.
This injury history is clearly a deterrent, but if the Cardinals had interest, there is some upside. At this point, if he is going to still play, he probably will not be able to get more than a veteran minimum deal. It might be worth it for the Cardinals to sign him and give him a look in training camp and the preseason, at least to see if he can play in a limited, situational pass-rushing role.
The Cardinals have Markus Golden on one side of the defense and a combination of Devon Kennard, Dennis Gardeck and rookies Cameron Thomas and Myjai Sanders expected to get looks opposite Golden.
The dust has begun to settle on the much-discussed Kyler Murray homework clause. So here’s the question: Will the team’s apparent insistence on reducing a requirement of four hours of study per week to writing (and having it become one of the biggest stories in the league) create a problem for team and player that [more]
See inside the new Hilton brand hotel near Cardinal Stadium (PHOTOS)
The hotel is one of the upscale brands by Hilton, which means it comes with luxury finishes and larger rooms.
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2022-07-28T15:58:04Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Veteran pass rusher hits free agent market as 49ers release Dee Ford
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A Washington Commanders' 2020 fourth-round pick is already calling it a career after just two seasons in the NFL.
"I was a little surprised just because I thought he was doing a good job in our offense and was making some good strides," Rivera said. "I love who he is as a man, and I wish him all the best as he goes back and starts what's next.
"He just felt the time was now. He told me he wanted to go back to school and continue his education, and then go from there."
Washington waived Gandy-Golden before the 2021 season where he spent time on the practice squad and active roster but didn't record a catch in four appearances. He signed a reserve/futures contract after the season before converting to tight end. Gandy-Golden reportedly gained 27 pounds this past offseason to make the positional switch.
It's unclear if Gandy-Golden is returning to Liberty or another school. He was pursuing a degree in graphic design at Liberty, according to his college profile page, before leaving in 2019. At Liberty, Gandy-Golden caught 150 passes for 2,433 yards and 20 touchdowns in two seasons.
"He's a heck of a young man. He really did do a nice job for us," Rivera saidl. "We appreciate who he is and who he was for us as a football player and a young man. Because he's a bright young man, I really do believe he has a bright future ahead of him."
Steph Curry joins Isaiah Thomas as best NBA point guards, Charles Barkley says
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2022-07-28T15:58:11Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Washington Commanders 2020 draft pick abruptly retires at age 24 to return to college
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https://sports.yahoo.com/washington-commanders-2020-draft-pick-abruptly-retires-at-age-24-to-return-to-college-152928016.html?src=rss
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UFC women's bantamweight champion Julianna Peña laid out some hard criticisms of the women's featherweight division during the UFC 277 Media Day.
Peña believes it's a one-fighter division, and she has a valid point. If you go to the UFC Rankings page on the fight promotion's website, there is only one fighter listed in the weight class, and it's champion Amanda Nunes.
Nunes once held both the featherweight and bantamweight championships, but Peña snatched the bantamweight title from Nunes at UFC 269 in December, submitting the former two-division champion in the second round. The two are set to rematch in the UFC 277 main event on Saturday.
Peña was asked about moving up in weight to via for a second title if she defeats Nunes a second time, but that would put her in a third fight with Nunes.
"There's nobody in the (featherweight) division. There's really not. It's a division of who? Amanda? Who else," Peña said.
"All the girls that have fought at 145 just went up in weight so they could have a shot at the belt because they couldn't get it done at 135. It's a division of literally no one. To me, it's primarily people that can't make 135, or just don't want to cut the weight. The real fights are at 135."
Julianna Peña: ‘We’re going to see whose ovaries are bigger’
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2022-07-28T16:35:33Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Julianna Peña: ‘The UFC women’s featherweight division is a division of literally no one’
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https://sports.yahoo.com/julianna-pe-ufc-women-featherweight-102636326.html?src=rss
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Watch: Mass pile-up overshadows stage five at Tour de France Femmes before Lorena Wiebes sprints to victory - EUROSPORT / GCN+
The stage was won by Lorena Wiebes (DSM), the 23-year-old Dutchwoman who took the first leader's jersey of the race after winning in Paris on Sunday. Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) leads the race before it heads towards the border with Switzerland ahead of the big mountain stages that await at the end of the Tour.
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2022-07-28T16:35:52Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Watch: 30-woman pile-up at Tour de France Femmes brings race to a halt
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https://sports.yahoo.com/watch-30-woman-pile-tour-143520869.html?src=rss
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Badgers Punter Andy Vujnovich Named to 2022 Ray Guy Award Watch List
Wisconsin’s Andy Vujnovich was named Wednesday to the 49-man preseason watch list for the Ray Guy Award, presented annually to the nation’s top punter.
The fifth-year senior, who has punted for the Badgers the past two seasons, was named All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2020 and has a career average of 44.5 yards per punt while at UW and a career-long of 68 yards.
Last season, the 6-foot-3, 234-pound punter registered 15 punts of at least 50 yards and placed 16 of his punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
Vujnovich, who punted for Columbus High School (Wisc.), has one of the most powerful legs in the Big Ten and has proven to be a weapon for an inconsistent UW special teams.
Big 💪
A-State’s Hanson on Ray Guy Award Watch List
For the second consecutive season, Arkansas State redshirt sophomore punter Ryan Hanson has been named to the Ray Guy Preseason Award Watch List, the Augusta Sports Council announced Wednesday. Hanson completed his second season at A-State with 68 punt attempts covering 2,995 yards.
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2022-07-28T16:36:06Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Badgers Punter Andy Vujnovich Named to 2022 Ray Guy Award Watch List
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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Going into the 2020 season tight end Erick All was being called a “sure-handed” pass-catcher according to teammates and his coaches. The four-star recruit from the class of 2019 from Fairfield (Ohio) was predicted to be a major breakout performer for the 2020 season, but drops got in the way.
According to Pro Football Focus, All dropped 25% of balls that were on target to him, and the analytic site gave All a 28.1 grade for hands/drops. 2020 was not a good year for the tight end.
Erick All was one of the four Michigan football players that attended the Big Ten media days on Tuesday in Indianapolis, and he was asked about that 2020 season and what it did to him mentally. All acknowledged that it was the worst season he has ever played. He gives thanks to mentor Greg Harden — who would mentor student-athletes at Michigan — for helping him get his focus back.
“Man, it’s that was my worst season I’ve ever played in my life,” All admitted during Big Ten media days. “Ever. And I’m like, it’s just the game. Like, when when I talked to Greg, Mr. Greg Harden, he basically put me back in that mindset. And basically reminded me football is a game, you’re supposed to have fun, you’re not supposed to treat it like a job. And I’m not supposed to treat it like it runs your life. It’s a sport. You don’t need football, you need to focus on what you do after football and what other things you can focus on other than football. It basically changed my life because I was probably more than likely going to be stuck in the same mindset.”
The starting tight end at Michigan said hearing all that hype going into the season killed him mentally, especially after dropping that first ball during the season. He said it was like a switch flipped in his brain and it was over. But now he is treating the game like it should be treated — having fun, but staying competitive.
“Just hearing all the hype about me, just killed me and I dropped that ball, I just dropped one ball,” said All. “And it was just a switch that just hit my brain like it was just over for me. Talking to Greg to flip that switch back in the right spot. I got into the game as more of like a fun, fun and competitive and I’m treating it like how it should be treated. I feel like that’s the way to succeed in this game. Going out there worrying about targets and worrying about receptions it’s going to lead you down the wrong path. And I can tell you that firsthand.”
Last season, in 2021, All bounced back in a huge way after regaining his focus. He caught 38 receptions for 437 yards and two scores. PFF had him with a significantly better 9.5% drop rate for 2021.
Now Erick All, along with Luke Schoonmaker, is listed on the Mackey Award watch list for the nation’s best tight end. Jim Harbaugh made a statement on Tuesday that he believes Michigan has the best two tight ends in the country.
“Erick All. I think, in my opinion, his biggest competition for being the best tight end in the country will be Luke Schoonmaker and I think Luke Schoonmaker’s toughest competition to be the best tight end in America will be Erick All,” Harbaugh admitted on Tuesday.
Later on, Harbaugh talked about his veteran players on the team like Cade McNamara, Ronnie Bell, Erick All, and others, about how much leadership they have shown to the younger players. How they are coaching them up and setting a tremendous example.
The last John Mackey Award winner at Michigan was Jake Butt back in 2016. He helped show what a dynamic tight end can do for an offense. Erick All has those same qualities, just like running 47-yards against Penn State — on a less than 100% ankle — for a winning touchdown.
The Michigan offense is loaded at wide receiver and tight end, but we can most certainly expect Erick All to have a tremendous season in Ann Arbor.
Lower sex drive and losing hair among long COVID symptoms, study says. What to know
“Long Covid sufferers have experienced a wider set of symptoms than previously thought.”
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2022-07-28T16:36:12Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Erick All: Turning the 2020 season from ‘the worst season I’ve ever played’ into a key role for 2022
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https://sports.yahoo.com/erick-turning-2020-season-worst-150330950.html?src=rss
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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Despite having beaten Ohio State in 2021, which catapulted Michigan into the Big Ten Championship and the College Football Playoff semifinal, few are giving the Wolverines a chance to repeat in 2022. But don’t tell the team that.
For years, given that Michigan hadn’t won the Big Ten since 2004, it had started to seem an impossible dream, as Ohio State asserted dominance, and recently formidable teams, even though sometimes outliers, like Penn State and Michigan State, took home the top prize of the conference. Now that the Wolverines have done what many were saying was impossible, they know what it takes to get the job done — beating their rival and winning the Big Ten.
“It helps us a lot. It gives us definitely more confidence that, look, we’ve been there, there’s less weight on our shoulders as to the stress of, ‘We have to do this.’ It was just a lot of anxiety is to like — why is Coach Harbaugh on the hotseat?” quarterback Cade McNamara said. “Like, why does he have to face the criticism? Because if anyone wants to beat Ohio State it’s Coach Harbaugh.
“And I can promise you that, but I think now that we got that for him, I think now that we know what that looks like, we’re gonna be even more confident going into that game. I think a part of being a leader, being a member of this team, is to make sure that we don’t become complacent — not just myself, but as a team. And I think we have stressed that mentality pretty strong this offseason that Team 143 is a different team. And what Team 142 did last season doesn’t really matter anymore.”
Jim Harbaugh shares Michigan football's four goals for 2022
Cade McNamara is confident and embraces the quarterback battle in Ann Arbor
In a roundabout way, along with personnel losses, complacency is one of the reasons why experts don’t anticipate a repeat season for the Wolverines in 2022. The claim that Ohio State will enter The Game angry given last year’s results and that Michigan will take a step back beyond having lost key players on defense may be good preseason fodder to explain why the Buckeyes are surefire 2022 champions, but it’s not like the maize and blue enter the year without experience (particularly on the offensive side of the ball) and loads of talent across the board.
In fact, Jim Harbaugh thinks that the team won’t be complacent about anything — including the personnel losses.
Given how many players emerged as leaders and playmakers in 2021, Harbaugh sees those who remain taking up those same roles, challenged by the new deficits, along with having learned from their predecessors what kind of shoes are needed to be filled.
“I just think so many were a part of last year, so many put in the same work as all the players that aren’t here anymore,” Harbaugh said. “I mean, some of the stars like Aidan Hutchinson and Hassan Haskins, that whole great group of Dax Hill and and Stueber and, and all those great players like Vastardis. There’s a lot of these players that did the exact same thing that that those players did. And maybe they did it a little bit at a leadership level, and our guys got to see that got to be a part of that. And got to see how well it paid off. Both for the team and for each of those players individually. And, you know, why wouldn’t you want to do it exactly the same way? It’s a great template.”
Outside of The Game, for Cade McNamara, he can’t rest on his laurels as a starting quarterback. He’s enough of a leader that he was chosen to represent Michigan at Big Ten media days — the first quarterback Harbaugh has brought to the event in his coaching tenure — but with J.J. McCarthy breathing down his neck, McNamara knows he has to fight to retain his position.
“No matter what position you’re in, I think if you become complacent, you become vulnerable,” McNamara said. “And I think this whole entire situation has really helped me in that sense that, you know, I have zero complacency as to where, what my situation is and where I am on the depth chart. So if anything, I’m getting better faster than me just sitting in the quarterback room comfortably.”
So, when the 2022 season starts, don’t expect Michigan to trot out there, flashing their Big Ten Championship rings. No, it wants to prove that unlike Penn State in 2016, it’s here to stay.
Acumen Research and Consulting recently published report titled “STD Testing Market Size, Share, Analysis Report and Region Forecast, 2022 - 2030”LOS ANGELES, July 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global STD Testing Market Size is valued at USD 95 Billion in 2021 and is projected to reach a market size of USD 141 Billion by 2030; growing at a CAGR of 4.7%. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are among the top five reasons that sexually active adults see
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2022-07-28T16:36:26Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Michigan football guarding against complacency entering 2022 season
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McDonald's will increase the price of its cheeseburger by 20% in Britain, in the first price hike for the popular item in 14 years as it responds to soaring inflation. McDonald's will also increase prices by 10p-20p for other items that have been hit by rising costs, the burger chain's UK chief told customers on Tuesday. "We're living through incredibly challenging times," McDonald's UK & Ireland CEO Alistair Macrow said.
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2022-07-28T16:36:39Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Mentality shift evident for Michigan and Ohio State at Big Ten media days
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The Kansas City Chiefs are finally getting the edge rusher help they’ve been looking for.
As first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Chiefs are signing veteran DE Carlos Dunlap on a one-year deal. Dunlap got in town last night for a visit with the team, looking for the right fit for the 2022 NFL season. He seems to have found that fit in Kansas City where he’ll make up to $8 million in 2022.
“It’s been a whirlwind trip,” Dunlap told NFL reporter Josina Anderson. “I met with coaches last night & started looking at film around midnight. It’s an exciting time for me and a long time coming.”
A former second-round draft pick out of Florida in 2010, the veteran edge rusher spent nearly a decade with the Cincinnati Bengals. He was traded to the Seattle Seahawks at the midseason mark of the 2020 NFL season and spent the past 1.5 years with them. During his career, Dunlap has accumulated 539 total tackles, 96 sacks, 21 forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, 69 passes batted, two interceptions and three defensive touchdowns.
The 33-year-old Dunlap is a scheme fit for Steve Spagnuolo’s system, boasting elite size and length at the edge rusher position. He’ll help solidify a position group in Kansas City that was lacking veteran depth. He should make contributions on defense right away if he can pick up where he left off last season. Five of Dunlap’s 8.5 sacks last season came against opponents on the Chiefs’ 2022 schedule, including two against their Week 1 opponent, the Arizona Cardinals.
Chiefs hosted former Giants OL Jake Burton for tryout
The #Chiefs hosted an offensive lineman for a tryout who has experience playing both right tackle and guard.
Same-sex couples are four times more likely to adopt than straight ones. If Kansas’ constitutional amendment passes, there might be more children in need. | Opinion
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2022-07-28T17:28:07Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Chiefs to sign DE Carlos Dunlap on one-year deal
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One player flying under the radar as the New York Giants open their training camp is inside linebacker Blake Martinez, who missed the last 14 games of the 2021 season due to a torn ACL.
Martinez is back, albeit on a limited basis for now. He is a true gamer who had played in 75 consecutive games before the injury and is planning to resume his tenure as the Giants’ defensive captain this season after getting cleared by the team’s medical staff.
“I just kind of went through the offseason, the last 10 months working on my knee every day and just listening to the training staff,” Martinez told reporters on Wednesday. “I got the news yesterday that I was good to go and basically went out there and felt good today.”
Martinez is ready to go but will ramp things up slowly. Well, as slowly as he can, anyhow.
Lets’ not forget, Martinez was one of the league’s most active linebackers before the injury. His 680 tackles are the NFL’s third-highest total since he entered the league as a fourth-round draft pick out of Stanford by the Green Bay Packers back in 2016.
“For me, it’s just — I have no doubt for myself. Again, taking it one day at a time and then obviously today, everyone asked me, ‘Hey, are you pumped? You pumped? You pumped?’ I’m like yeah, just got to take it as the first practice. I don’t know, this was my first practice in 10 months now. It felt good, though,” he said.
Martinez will be the centerpiece of a defense that has been taken over by veteran coordinator Wink Martindale. The last two seasons Martinez called the signals for Patrick Graham, who chose to move on after head coach Joe Judge was fired.
“I think it’s just another challenge,” Martinez said of the coaching change. “Going into my seventh year, I think this is my fifth defensive coordinator or something like that. I’ve gotten used to going through those procedures. I know how they kind of attack it and just taking it one day at a time, same thing as my knee.”
Martindale will ask much of the same as Graham did out of Martinez. Both coordinators like to get after things but use different approaches.
“I think it’s aggressive,” Martinez said of Martindale’s scheme. “He allows the players to be in positions that they can thrive at and just once again, he trusts his guys to go out there and he gives a lot of freedom to maneuver around and communicate as a defense… I feel like both are different in their own ways. Both gave freedom but just different concepts, different ways of doing it.”
Giants' Andrew Thomas: 'The goal is to be dominant'
The rookie DT will make his training camp debut.
Military veterans can now become teachers within Alachua County Public Schools for five years without bachelor's degree.
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2022-07-28T17:28:57Z
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Giants’ Blake Martinez thrilled to be back after ACL tear
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The Kansas City Chiefs continued to add on the defensive side of the football Thursday, signing veteran pass rusher Carlos Dunlap to a one-year deal. The veteran defender began his career with the Cincinnati Bengals, before being traded to the Seattle Seahawks midway through the 2020 season.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter was first to report the news on Thursday:
While starting just two games a season ago, Dunlap played in all 17 games for the Seahawks in 2021, notching 8.5 sacks and 35 total tackles. Those 8.5 sacks were the most posted by Dunlap in a single season since 2019. Dunlap recorded a career-high 13.5 sacks back in 2015.
Dunlap’s best football might be in the rear-view mirror, but he does offer situational pass rusher skills that could be critical for Kansas City as they look to take on a gauntlet of offensive talent in the AFC West. Dunlap can still combine power and technique off the edge, which you can see on this sack of Matthew Stafford from last season. Working against the right tackle, Dunlap slants inside with a rip move and gets into the frame of the tackle, before bullying his way to the quarterback:
That was one of three sacks that Dunlap had in that Week 15 meeting with Stafford and the Rams. On this play from the third quarter, you can see the hand technique as Dunlap fights the left tackle, before again bullying his way to the QB:
Perhaps the best example of his pure power comes from this big play in Seattle’s Week 13 meeting with the San Francisco 49ers. On this play from the third quarter, watch as Dunlap bull rushes the right tackle, driving him into the backfield before getting to Jimmy Garoppolo for the safety:
In Kansas City, he’ll be part of a defensive front looking to stop some of the game’s best passers, as the Chiefs face a pair of games against each of the following quarterbacks: Justin Herbert, Russell Wilson and Derek Carr. Beyond the AFC West, Kansas City also has to face Josh Allen and the Bills, Trey Lance and the 49ers, Matthew Stafford and the Rams, and Joe Burrow and the Bengals.
The organization added George Karlaftis in the first round of the 2022 draft, and has Frank Clark on the edge as well, but in today’s NFL you can never have enough of a pass rush. Dunlap might not be able to give the Chiefs 600 defensive snaps or more at this point in his career, but he offers a powerful presence off the edge in a situational or rotational role.
In what could be a tough division, that might be a huge boost for the Kansas City defense.
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2022-07-28T17:29:29Z
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Kansas City Chiefs sign Carlos Dunlap to one-year deal
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The Tennessee Titans had a rather uneventful practice on Thursday during the second day of training camp with players going half speed during the team period, but a special guest spiced things up a bit.
With the WWE’s SummerSlam set to take place at Nissan Stadium this week, wrestling legend Ric Flair, who will be taking part in his final match at the event, stopped by practice and addressed Titans players.
Following his talk with the players, Flair spoke with the media and admitted that Derrick Henry is his favorite player, which made coming to Titans practice even more exciting for the 73-year-old.
“I loved [Mike Vrabel] as a player in New England. He just reached out to me and said, ‘you want to come to talk to the Titans?’ I said, ‘hell yeah,'” Flair explained, per Ben Arthur of The Tennessean. “My favorite player in the NFL right now is Derrick Henry. Hated him at Alabama, I love him here.”
Derrick Henry said he was always a fan of Ric Flair. Feels it's surreal that Flair spoke to the team and mentioned him as one of his favorite players. #Titans pic.twitter.com/UBfKHiaNoS
When asked what he likes most about Henry, “The Nature Boy” pointed to Henry’s speed.
“I didn’t realize he had that speed. When he gets in the open, he turns it up. I didn’t see that in college; I just saw a hell of a running back,” Flair said. “2,000 yards; think about it: that puts him in the same class as Adrian Peterson and people like that.”
Flair was then asked if he thought head coach Mike Vrabel could make it in the WWE. To nobody’s surprise, his answer was yes, and we couldn’t agree more.
“He’s big enough; I forgot how big he is,” Flair responded. “Remember, he was a linebacker so, probably at 260 right now. Absolutely, I can tell by talking to him he’s tough.”
Unfortunately, we didn’t get to hear what Flair said to the players, but in the two videos below you can hear the Titans playing his walk-up music as he approaches the players, and we also got a “woooo” at the end.
Ric Flair at #Titans pic.twitter.com/si1BpxaMLL
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2022-07-28T17:30:02Z
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Ric Flair attends Titans practice, calls Derrick Henry his favorite player
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"I felt strong in the sprint," said Wiebes of the 176.5km run from Bar-le-Duc to Saint-Die in northeastern France. "It was the longest race I've ever done. I've never even done such an outing even in training."
The Team DSM rider proved she is almost unbeatable in a sprint with only Balsamo managing to get the better of her twice this season.
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2022-07-28T17:54:29Z
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Wiebes shows 'raw power' in women's Tour de France fifth stage win
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Arkansas kicker Cam Little has spent just one year with the Razorbacks so far. But his willingness to be a team player and help others has already been noticed.
Little was Arkansas’ watch list player for the annual Wuerffel Trophy, which is given to the player in college football who best combines community service with athletic and academic achievement.
Earlier in the week Little was named to the Lou Groza Award watch list as potentially the nation’s best kicker.
The sophomore from Moore, Oklahoma, made 20 of 24 field goals last year, his first in a Hogs uniform. The 20 makes were third most in school history in a single season. He also booted true all 46 of his point-after attempts. Off the field, Little donated $10 for every field goal to Down Syndrome Connection of Northwest Arkansas.
The award will be announced during the College Football Awards Show on ESPN on December 8.
FSU left guard Dillan Gibbons appears on Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
Read with your children. Read to them. Have them read to you. Read alongside them. The more books are in their lives, the better.
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2022-07-28T18:07:24Z
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Cam Little nominated for award named after an SEC legend
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Dunlap had 8 1/2 sacks with the Seahawks a year ago.
Commonwealth Games 2022 schedule: opening ceremony guide and key events to watch out for
The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham will get under way today tonight, Thursday 28 July, with the opening ceremony - and you can scroll down down for a full day-by-day schedule for the event; all times are BST and subject to change.
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2022-07-28T18:07:30Z
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Kansas City Chiefs find pass-rushing help by signing two-time Pro Bowl defensive end
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Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson are among a number of top players who have joined the breakaway series, which brought suspensions and fines from the US-based and European tours. Sergio Garcia has resigned his membership of the DP World Tour, saying he "did not feel loved".
Open champion Cameron Smith also refused to deny he was considering joining LIV and compatriot Greg Norman, with the rebel series seeking to take advantage of a nine-month break before the next major.
Henrik Stenson has lost the European Ryder Cup captaincy for 2023 after defecting to the rebel series.
"That needs to happen," McIlroy said when asked whether peace talks should take place. "I wish it hadn't got that messy... In hindsight there were probably steps that were missed that wouldn't have made it as messy.
Which players have signed up?
Brooks Koepka has become one of the Saudi rebel circuit’s highest-profile signings and he played in the first LIV Series event on US soil.
The four-time major winner joined brother Chase on Greg Norman's breakaway tour and made his LIV debut in Portland, Oregon. Koepka's switch is another blow to the US Ryder Cup team, who will face five members of 2018 team and three from 2021 being deemed ineligible for next year’s match in Rome.
Dustin Johnson, another former world No 1, signed for an £120 million ($150m) up-front fee and Koepka will have also commanded a seven-figure sum. He takes his place alongside not only Johnson, but also Phil Mickelson, Sergio García, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Abraham Ancer, who has been unveiled as a capture.
In one of the most significant moves to date, the rebel series has landed former Open champion Henrik Stenson, with the Swede removed as Europe's 2023 Ryder Cup captain.
Another major champion arrived with the news two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson had joined the tour.
The breakaway circuit began at the Centurion Club in Hertfordshire, with the second event won by Branden Grace in Portland, Oregon. There are now two more stops in the US, before events in Bangkok and Saudi Arabia, then the tour finishes at Trump Doral in Miami at the end of October.
The 48-man field will play across 12 teams of four players, which was determined by a draft.
The Saudi-backed circuit is on a collision course with the two main Tours - the DP World Tour and PGA Tour - who have refused to grant permission to players to appear in the rebel events.
Ian Poulter has successfully challenged the DP Tour's ban, meaning he was controversially reinstated in the Scottish Open, but there are expectations of more legal proceedings ahead.
LIV chief executive Norman has also been criticised for heading up the breakaway circuit, with its Saudi investors accused of "sportswashing" the country’s poor human rights record.
What are the plans for next year?
In July, LIV confirmed that the 2023 schedule would be expanded to 14 events but insisted these would not clash with golf's major championships. While the exact dates and locations are yet to be announced, LIV say they want to increase their footprint across North and Latin Americas, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Europe.
The 48 players competing in each event will still be split into 12 four-man teams, and there will be continue to be no cut, 54 holes and a shotgun start.
There will be a combined prize pot of $405million (£332million).
There are 12 Trump Golf-owned properties in the U.S., two in Scotland, one in Ireland and one in the United Arab Emirates.
Community expresses shock after the death of the man at Arrowhead Golf Course.
One of the things that keeps us tuning back into America’s Got Talent each week is the amazing people that show up to audition and on Tuesday night, the person that stood out on the AGT stage was 18-year-old Oxford High School grad Ava Swiss, née Swieczkowski. Ava and her brother Reid were both in ...
Last week, Henrik Stenson was stripped of his captaincy of Europe's Ryder Cup team due to his involvement in the Saudi Arabia-backed DP World Tour.
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2022-07-28T18:07:36Z
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LIV Golf: How to watch on TV, schedule details and the players involved
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If the Boston Red Sox decide to sell at the MLB trade deadline, they might receive a call from one of the league's most aggressive buyers.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are "kicking the tires" on several right-handed hitters, one of which is Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez, radio host David Vassegh reported this week on AM570's "Dodger Talk." (Hat tip to DodgersNation.com.)
ESPN's Buster Olney recently reported that the Red Sox have made Martinez available in trade discussions, and the Dodgers make sense as a potential landing spot, especially now that the National League has instituted the designated hitter rule. While the NL West-leading Dodgers already boast a loaded lineup, adding a professional hitter like Martinez would bolster their World Series chances.
The 34-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and almost certainly won't re-sign with Boston, so makes sense for Chaim Bloom and Co. to try to get some assets in return for the veteran slugger. The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey outlined what the Red Sox may seek in a deal involving Martinez.
"Last year, the Red Sox traded No. 25 prospect Aldo Ramirez for Schwarber," McCaffrey wrote, "so the Red Sox would likely be looking for at least a top 20 prospect or two in return for Martinez."
The Dodgers have two prospects on MLB.com's Top 100 list: Catcher Diego Cartaya (No. 12) and right-handed pitcher Bobby Miller (No. 25). The MLB trade deadline is Aug. 2 at 6 p.m. ET.
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2022-07-28T18:07:43Z
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MLB Rumors: Dodgers showing interest in Red Sox' J.D. Martinez
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The preseason list of college football’s most versatile players includes five from the Mountain West.
Athletes who can do it all.
Five Mountain West players were included on the Paul Hornung Award watch list this morning, the honor given annually to the nation’s most versatile and productive player.
San Diego State’s Jordan Byrd, who was recently tabbed as the Mountain West’s preseason special teams player of the year, leads the group with four seasons’ worth of contributions under his belt. 2021 may have been his best season yet, however, with 246 yards and three touchdowns on just 37 rushing attempts, an average of 27.3 yards per kick return (including one touchdown), and 7.1 yards per punt return on a conference-high 27 attempts.
Boise State’s Stefan Cobbs and New Mexico’s Luke Wysong, meanwhile, pulled double duty as wide receivers and pass catchers last year. Cobbs had 34 catches for 421 yards and five touchdowns, as well as an average of 20 yards per kick return and an 81-yard punt return score, while Wysong led the Lobos with 23 catches and 228 receiving yards, adding 20.3 yards per kick return and a punt return score of his own.
That’s also true of Fresno State’s Nikko Remigio, who transferred from Cal to the Bulldogs earlier this off-season. In four years with the Golden Bears, he caught 97 passes for 903 yards and seven touchdowns, though he also shined as the team’s primary kick returner in 2021, averaging 27.4 yards per attempt with one touchdown.
Finally, Wyoming running back Titus Swen stood out in 2021 first and foremost as a runner with 785 yards and seven touchdowns on 132 carries. He also chipped in occasionally as a kick returner, too, averaging 18.6 yards per return in ten attempts across five games.
Last year’s Paul Hornung Award winner was Houston’s Marcus Jones.
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2022-07-28T18:07:49Z
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Mountain West Football: Five Named To Paul Hornung Award Watch List
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New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick made it clear, in two ways, that he thinks Davon Godchaux is one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL. The Patriots coach paid Godchaux handsomely in a contract extension, which the two parties finalized this week.
That two-year, $20.8 million extension, which will make him the 24th highest-paid defensive tackle in the NFL in terms of annual value, speaks volumes about how much Belichick appreciates Godchaux. As for the second way Belichick made it clear he thinks Godchuax is elite — well, Belichick came out and said it.
“He’s one of the best defensive linemen in the league,” Belichick said before practice on Thursday. “I’m glad we were able to work that out with Davon and Drew (Rosenhaus). So obviously, both sides are happy.”
Godchaux is now slated to be with the team through 2023. He finished the season with 65 tackles and one sack while playing 59% of defensive snaps. Those statistics don’t scream elite — not even for a defensive tackle. But Godchuax stated his case.
“I’m going to be honest. Yes, I do,” he said when asked if he feels he’s one of the best players at his position. “I feel like to be a good d-tackle, you have to first stop the run. A good d-tackle isn’t going to just be a pass-rusher. You have to have some disruption and stop the run. If you can’t stop the run, I feel like you can’t pass-rush. So I feel like guys like (Matthew) Judon, guys like (Josh) Uche — (I’m) setting up them guys on third-and-long.”
Davon Godchaux says he’s felt at home with the Patriots since Day 1: “Bill (Belichick) — he’s honest. He (gives) Positive criticism. He’s going to hold me accountable.”
Godchaux then detailed why he thinks he’s one of the best DL in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/CAbcaOLSsF
Regardless of rankings, Godchaux has clicked with the Patriots. That much is clear. His teammates seem to enjoy his company and his leadership. And as Godchaux mentioned, his dirty work has helped others make flashy plays. New England has been the perfect landing spot for the defensive tackle.
“I feel like when I first signed here, this was home,” Godchaux told reporters after practice on Thursday. “Bill (Belichick) — he’s honest. He (gives) positive criticism. He’s going to hold me accountable. I need a coach like that and when I got here, it was everything I hoped for.”
Kyler Murray burst through the locker room door Thursday morning, marched up to the podium for an impromptu media session, and declared that there have been no “shortcuts” to success during his football career, no matter what strange addendums are on his new contract. Then the Arizona Cardinals quarterback paused and grinned for a moment: “No pun intended." In a rare show of public emotion, the 5-foot-10 Murray vociferously defended his study habits a few days after the NFL Network reported there was a unique addendum to his $230.5 million, five-year contract that mandates at least four hours of “independent study” during game weeks each season.
President Biden on Thursday called on congressional Democrats to support a reconciliation package agreement unveiled a day earlier, acknowledging that it’s “far from perfect” but saying it’s the strongest bill the party can pass to address key priorities. “This bill is far from perfect. It’s a compromise. But that’s often how progress is made, by…
(Bloomberg) -- Texas will ban almost all abortions starting Aug. 25, when a dormant 2021 state law takes effect.Most Read from BloombergRockstar Games Cleaned Up Its Frat-Boy Culture — and Grand Theft Auto, TooUS Economy Shrinks for a Second Quarter, Fueling Recession FearsFed Hikes 75 Basis Points Second Time, Signals Third Is PossibleBiden Considers New Pause on Paying Back Student Loans, $10,000 ReliefThe Strong Dollar Is Wreaking Havoc Globally — And It’s Just Getting StartedThe law, which o
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2022-07-28T19:01:25Z
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Bill Belichick: Davon Godchaux is one of the best defensive linemen in NFL
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Social media and the football world both reacted when the Addendum to his contract, which called for four hours of weekly “independent film study” per week in the regular season, was reported after his new deal was signed.
Murray, in meeting with the media, fired back at the reaction, listing his accomplishments during his entire football career and stating “[t]hose things you can’t accomplish if you don’t prepare the right way and take the game serious:”
Murray described himself as a “student” of the game, who is passionate about the sport and takes himself and the job very seriously:
Kyler Murray on narrative that he doesn't study: "To think I can accomplish everything that I've accomplished in my career and not be a student of the game and not have that passion and not take this serious, is disrespectful. It's almost a joke."
Murray did not address questions regarding the clause, and he further declined to answer a question regarding his thoughts on the Cardinals including it in his contract.
Murray’s ability to create explosive plays inside and outside the pocket, with both his legs and his arm, is a huge reason why the Cardinals felt comfortable giving him this big contract extension. In particular, his ability to attack downfield in the passing game stands out among NFL passers.
While some of those throws came with Murray outside of the pocket, some did not. You also saw plays like this one against the Indianapolis Colts, where the quarterback stood in the pocket in the face of pressure and delivered a perfect throw on a go route to A.J. Green:
Based on his comments today, you might expect the quarterback to argue that film study had a role in both of those explosive plays.
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2022-07-28T19:02:12Z
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Kyler Murray calls fallout over his contract “disrespectful” in fiery press conference
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The Houston Texans drafted Deshaun Watson in 2017. He missed most of his rookie season with an injury, but when he returned, the Texans won football games. They made the playoffs in 2018 and 2019, and even won a playoff game against the Buffalo Bills. With a young quarterback at the controls, it looked like the Texans were set up to be a consistently good team in the AFC for years to come.
Things changed quickly. They basically gave away an elite wide receiver in DeAndre Hopkins. They won just four games in the weird 2020 season. Before you knew it, due to a combination of 24 accusations of sexual misconduct and also the quarterback's distrust with the organization, Watson wanted out and the Texans wanted him out.
Watson was technically a part of the team last season, but for all intents and purposes, he was out of the picture. Houston went 4-13, finishing with the third worst record in the league. Those four wins were more than many projected entering the season. Despite that, David Culley was fired after just one season.
Replacing Culley will be Lovie Smith. The 64-year old defensive minded coach is certainly a surprising hire in the year 2022. He'll be tasked with developing project 2021 3rd-round quarterback Davis Mills, who flashed at times last season. The results are not expected to be pretty. Yahoo's Frank Schwab ranked the Texans 32nd in his preseason power rankings, which is a nice way of saying dead last. The betting market seems to agree that this might just be the worst team in the NFL this coming season.
Houston is projected to be very bad
After winning four games in 2021, the Houston Texans open the 2022 season with their win total set at 4.5 wins. On first glance, it might appear that oddsmakers are predicting a slightly improved team, but a deeper look will tell you that's not really true.
The Texans' win total of 4.5 wins is tied with the Atlanta Falcons for the lowest number in the league. In fact, the Seattle Seahawks and the New York Jets are the only teams with win totals of 5.5 wins Every other team in the league is projected to be at least two wins better than the Texans. The majority of bettors are siding with the under on Houston, as 62% of the betting handle has come in on under 4.5 wins.
The Texans are currently +300 to finish the regular season with the fewest wins of any team. That makes them the betting favorites, slightly ahead of Atlanta at +350. Houston is -5000 to miss the playoffs, odds which suggest they miss the playoffs over 98% of the time.
The Texans are 25-to-1 to win the AFC South, tied with Atlanta for the longest odds of any team to win their division. They are -500 favorites to finish in last place in the division. Remember, this division features Jacksonville, who has finished with the worst record in football in back-to-back years. Despite that, the odds suggest Houston finishes in last place over 83% of the time.
Super Bowl odds are basically a myth for the Texans. They are 300-to-1 to win the Super Bowl, and 150-to-1 to win the AFC. Both are the highest marks of any team and the equivalent of lighting your hard earned money on fire.
A more realistic and potentially appealing bet could be the Texans to start the season 0-4. They open as significant underdogs against the Colts. Then they travel to Denver where they will also be big underdogs. The third game is the trickiest of them all, but they will be underdogs on the road in Chicago against the Bears. Their fourth game is against the Chargers, another game where they'll be significant underdogs. There's +150 odds available on the Texans to start 0-4.
Lovie Smith and the Houston Texans are projected to be one of the worst teams in football. (Bob Levey/Getty Images)
Texans props and awards
There are 98 NFL players with odds posted to win the NFL MVP this upcoming season. Not a single one of them is a Houston Texan. That just highlights the level of talent we're dealing with here. Nevertheless, here's the odds surrounding some of the big names on the Texans.
Davis Mills was drafted in the third round by the Texans in the 2021 NFL draft, and by many metrics, he was the second best rookie of last year's class behind Mac Jones. He was better than the likes of Zach Wilson, Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields and Trey Lance in many categories. Nonetheless, he remains a project.
Mills is 50-to-1 to lead the league in passing yards, which ties him with the likes of Marcus Mariota and Jalen Hurts for 20th best odds. He's 100-to-1 to lead the league in passing touchdowns, tied for the 27th best odds with Mariota and Mitch Trubisky. One category he is expected to perform well in is throwing interceptions. At +900, Mills has the second best odds to lead the league in interceptions behind only Zach Wilson.
Mills' over/under for passing yards this upcoming season is set at 3699.5 yards. His touchdown number is set at 21.5 passing scores. He played in 13 games last year and threw for 2664 yards and 16 touchdowns. Prorated to 17 games, that's 3,484 yards and 21 touchdowns. Those are slightly under both projected numbers this year, but he didn't play complete games in all 13 appearances last year and a year of growth might help as well.
Last season, Brandin Cooks eclipsed the 1000 yard mark for the 6th time in his eight NFL seasons. In every year he's played at least 15 games, Cooks has posted a 1000-yard campaign. The unfortunate news about John Metchie means that Cooks will play an even bigger role than the large role that was already anticipated.
Cooks' over/unders for this coming season are 82.5 receptions and 949.5 receiving yards. Cooks to go over that receiving number is one of my favorite season long props this season. There really isn't much pass catching talent on this Houston roster, he's developed some chemistry with Mills and he hits this mark almost every year, despite the fact he's played on four different teams already.
The Texans surprised many when they selected Derek Stingley Jr. out of LSU with the third overall pick. They made him the first cornerback drafted ahead of Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner. There's no denying Stingley's talents, but he dealt with some injuries in college and overall hadn't been able to replicate his phenomenal freshman season from 2019. Nevertheless, he's one of the betting favorites to win defensive rookie of the year at 10-to-1. Those odds are tied for sixth best with Gardner. The last cornerback to win the award was Marshon Lattimore in 2017.
Other Texans odds
Lovie Smith is 50-to-1 to win NFL coach of the year. Those are tied for the worst odds.
Dameon Pierce is 20-to-1 to win offensive rookie of the year. The fourth round running back will have to navigate a committee featuring Marlon Mack, Rex Burkhead, Royce Freeman and Dare Ogunbowale. Some of those players might be cut during camp to open up a better path. Pierce has the 15th best odds to win the award.
Texans big underdogs in Week 1
After reading this article, it should come as no surprise to you that the Houston Texans are the biggest underdog on the Week 1 NFL slate.
Despite opening the season at home, the Texans are 7.5-point underdogs against the Indianapolis Colts. Last year in Week 1, the Texans pulled off an outright win as underdogs against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Getting over a touchdown on your home field in an early seasonal divisional game might be appealing to some bettors with a strong stomach, but I'm not sure I have much interest in kicking my football season off with a bet on the Houston Texans. I'll probably be boring, go the other way and include the Colts in some moneyline parlays and teasers.
If the betting market is right about the Texans, there's going to come a point this season where Houston will be getting so many points on a weekly basis that you have to consider betting them out of principle. I'll hold off on that for as long as possible.
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2022-07-28T19:02:26Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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NFL futures, odds: Houston Texans are favorites to be the worst team in football
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Packers RBs Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon both want to hit 1,000 rushing yards in 2022
Last week, we here at Packers Wire openly wondered if Green Bay Packers running backs Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon could do what no running back duo has done since 2009: Both go over 1,000 rushing yards in a single season.
The rare feat is on the mind of both running backs to start training camp.
“Me and Aaron haven’t talked, but it’d be nice to both have 1,000 yards rushing. Hey, let’s get 3,000 yards between both of us. I don’t think there’s any limit,” Dillon said Wednesday.
Jones echoed the goal during an appearance on NFL Network.
“We both want to hit that 1,000-yard mark. I don’t think it’s been done since like 2009, it’s been a while. I think we’re both capable of it.”
Jones is right: The last running back pair to rushing for 1,000 yards was DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart for the Carolina Panthers in 2009.
Dillon, now entering Year 3, led the team in rushing with 803 yards last season. Jones, who has a pair of 1,000-yard rushing seasons already, wasn’t far behind at 799.
Over a full 17-game schedule, Jones and Dillon would both need to average 58.8 rushing yards per game for each player to get to 1,000 rushing yards.
It’s not a crazy goal for two running backs as talented as Jones and Dillon, especially with the Packers evolving on offense.
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2022-07-28T19:02:32Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Packers RBs Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon both want to hit 1,000 rushing yards in 2022
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Rhamondre Stevenson has a unique opportunity to get a foothold in the New England Patriots’ passing attack. And he’s prepared.
Back in April, Stevenson seemed like he would be dealing with an extremely crowded running back room. Running back James White, a go-to option on third down, was set to return on a new contract. Rookies Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris were joining the group. And that indicated Stevenson might not get as many touches, especially in a group that already includes No. 1 Damien Harris and jitterbug ball-carrier J.J. Taylor.
So far in training camp, Stevenson has gotten plenty of work. White started training camp on the physically unable to perform list. Strong, a candidate to compete for the third-down role, has been unable to practice with an undisclosed injury. So Stevenson and Harris are getting more third-down reps than anyone could have expected.
Stevenson looks like a natural.
Does he feel more comfortable in the Patriots offense on third down?
“Definitely, I feel a lot more comfortable running routes and catching the football,” Stevenson said after day two of training camp on Thursday. “I did a lot of that (this offseason): running routes, getting better with my hands, pass protection.”
He downplayed the idea that he might be able to insert himself into the discussion to get a bigger share of snaps on third down — and get a leg up on White and Strong.
“It’s day two. I just need to stick to the plan … and try to do the best I can,” he said.
After an offseason where Rhamondre Stevenson drilled the passing game aggressively, he was asked if he felt more confident there: “Definitely, I feel a lot more comfortable running routes and catching the football.”
More about that offseason work: pic.twitter.com/EooSbbUDID
Stevenson, who said he’s lost seven pounds and is about 225 pounds, finished the 2021 season with 133 carries for 606 yards and five touchdowns. He added 14 catches for 123 yards. Stevenson thrived as an option in the screen game, but wasn’t hugely involved in the passing game beyond that. So if he wants to show his skills have evolved since his rookie season, he’s got a prime opportunity while the more pure pass-catching backs are on ice.
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2022-07-28T19:02:46Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Rhamondre Stevenson says he’s ‘a lot more comfortable’ in Patriots passing game
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Patience is growing thin for Cesar Ruiz among a lot of New Orleans Saints fans. The team’s 2020 first round pick hasn’t done well through his first two years in the NFL, struggling to convert from center to guard after turning pro out of Michigan. Between breakdowns in pass protection and missed assignments as a run blocker, he’s earned the ire of a lot of would-be supporters.
But the Saints themselves are giving Ruiz some slack. General manager Mickey Loomis observed that he’s taken an unusual road to the NFL with the bulk of his first two offseasons being conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which limited the time Ruiz was spending with his position coaches and the strength and conditioning staff.
“People forget,” Loomis told Boot Krewe Media’s Jack Culotta Jr., “This is Cesar Ruiz’s first offseason. There are expectations on some of these guys that, with a full offseason, we’re going to see a jump from these guys.”
Now, making an excuse for Ruiz’s subpar level of play isn’t the same as okaying it. The Saints made moves to better support Ruiz early this year — the first hire that Dennis Allen made to his new coaching staff was offensive line coach Doug Marrone, a former NFL head coach who was arguably overqualified for the job. Getting regular work in with Marrone over the summer leading into training camp should do a lot for Ruiz’s development.
At least that’s the expectation. Also consider the circumstances of Ruiz’s age. He turned 23 in June and is younger than some of his rookie teammates, and it’s common for offensive linemen like him to take a couple years getting up to speed (which is something Saints fans experienced before with Andrus Peat). It’s very possible that Ruiz will enjoy a more successful second leg of his career after these initial struggles.
But at the same time, Ruiz wasn’t the only player drafted at the height of the pandemic in 2020 and asked to switch positions in the NFL. He isn’t the only one younger and less experienced than his peers, either. Other players have seen the same hurdles and cleared them. All the coaching changes and practice time in the world won’t matter if he doesn’t cut down on the in-the-moment mental mistakes and botched assignments. At the end of the day, he’s got to do a better job. The Saints have done what they can to throw him a line. Now it’s up to Ruiz to sink or swim.
Marcus Maye praises the culture and energy of the Saints’ approach
Saints safety Marcus Maye is ready to get on the field in New Orleans, energized by the team's culture and system, via @RossJacksonNOLA:
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2022-07-28T19:02:52Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Saints setting high expectations for Cesar Ruiz in his first real offseason
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It seems Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris is focused and poised for a huge 2021 season. Harris has already said he’s ready to do whatever it takes to help the team win, even if it means setting an NFL mark for touches with 500+.
Harris has never been a guy to mince words and when he was asked about whether or not he was planning to wear a visor this season on the All Things Covered Podcast, his answer was just what you would expect from the second-year pro.
“Nah, I’m going no visor this year,” Harris said. “I wanna see (expletive’s) eyes.”
Harris proved last season he can dish out the punishment to defenders and this season he is making it even more personal. Harris finished 2021 with 1,200 rushing yards, good enough for fourth in the NFL.
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2022-07-28T19:02:59Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Steelers RB Najee Harris opting for no visor so he can ‘see expletive’s eyes’
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Treylon Burks’ first practice at Tennessee Titans training camp this week went a long way toward dismissing concerns about his conditioning.
Burks admitted he should have first arrived at camp in better shape. His lack of conditioning, for whatever reason, drew the ire of some Titans fans and media.
On Wednesday, Burks’ first practice was glowing. He had slimmed down and, per Ben Arthur at the Tennessean, was in full force for the whole of the session. And Burks told Titans reporters afterward that he had lost five or six pounds since minicamp.
Now, Burks is onboard and ready to contribute in a big way during his rookie year.
“That’s just being accountable; I should have taken a better attack on that and now that I am, you can tell a big difference,” he said.
The Warren native had 66 catches for 1,106 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Razorbacks last year before being drafted in the first round by the Titans.
Loveland girls basketball coach Darnell Parker's Celebration of Life is Saturday afternoon
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2022-07-28T19:03:12Z
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Treylon Burks owns up to his conditioning with Titans
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Why NBA GM believes Melo joining Dubs would 'make some sense' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
"He’d take the minimum. They have a lot of young guys on that roster, they could do with another veteran -- and those guys all know Carmelo from Team USA. I do not know if they would really take that plunge on him, but it does make some sense.”
Learning that lesson the hard way, Anthony has resurfaced his career as a role player, primarily coming off the bench for the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers the past two seasons. He's averaged 13.4 points and 3.6 rebounds on 39.1 percent shooting from outside over that span.
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2022-07-28T19:37:27Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Carmelo Anthony joining Warriors would 'make some sense', NBA GM believes
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Once again, Texas is a highlight of talking season. Heading into August, more and more people are predicting aspects of the college football season.
Among the predictions, Heather Dinich picked Utah to make the College Football Playoff. Utah is led by former Texas transfer Cam Rising, who is set to be one of the best quarterbacks in the nation this year.
Elsewhere, Dinich predicted that Nick Saban would quell the trash talk between Alabama and Texas A&M with an emphatic victory over Jimbo Fisher.
Finally, Dinich said Texas could be the most improved team this year. Having won only five games last year, there is plenty of room to grow. The college football writer had the following to say about the Longhorns.
Texas, I think they are going to be the most improved team in the country. I am not saying that Texas is back. We’re gonna ditch that cliche. No, Texas is not back, but I say they win at least eight games.
Should they put it all together, Texas has the ability to compete with Nebraska and others for the biggest turnaround this season.
Texas outfielder Eric Kennedy to return for the 2023 season
Huge news for Texas baseball!
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2022-07-28T19:37:39Z
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Heather Dinich includes Texas in preseason bold predictions
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The Florida Gators hold steady in ESPN’s latest 2023 recruiting rankings. Coming in at No. 18, the Gators dropped one spot from the last ESPN rankings. They are the sixth-highest SEC team behind Georgia (No. 4), Arkansas (No. 7), LSU (No. 8), Alabama (No. 9) and Tennessee (No. 10).
It’s important to note that it’s still very early in the 2023 cycle, with the 2022 season yet to kick off and the early signing period over five months away.
The Gators’ class currently includes eight ESPN 300 commits, highlighted by a pair of in-state four-stars in Jacksonville native Sharif Denson (cornerback) and Tampa native Eugene Wilson III (athlete). The limited number of recruits plays a big part in the Gators’ ranking, as they dropped one spot from the previous ESPN rankings, especially with other SEC programs boasting double-digit ESPN 300 recruits (Georgia with 13 and Alabama with 10).
The ranking comes on the heels of the Gators missing out on four-star linebacker Malik Bryant out of Orlando. Bryant, who signed with Miami, is the latest blue-ship recruit to consider Florida to be a finalist in his recruitment but ultimately choosing to go elsewhere. If Billy Napier and his staff want to rise in the recruiting rankings, they’ll need to start landing players like Bryant on a more consistent basis.
The global market for ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene was valued at USD 1.87 billion in 2021, and it is projected to increase at a CAGR of 12.75 per cent to reach USD 5.51 billion by 2030. It is anticipated that North America will maintain its dominant position in the global UHMWPE market throughout the projection period, as the region currently holds the largest market shareNew York, United States, July 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Thermoplastic UHMWPE (ultra-high molecular weight poly
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2022-07-28T19:38:06Z
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Where Florida football lands in ESPN’s latest 2023 recruiting rankings
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Amid LIV Golf’s controversial rise to prominence, Homa’s one to remain focused on more pleasant matters, like becoming a first-time dad. He has six top-25 finishes in his last eight starts on Tour. He also soaked up playing with Tiger Woods at The British Open two weeks ago and took in a Detroit Tigers game for the second straight year on Tuesday.
“The thing I’ll remember the most probably was the 18th (hole) walk, just because it was a historic moment,” Homa said of being grouped with Woods at The Open. “One of those things I feel like people will say, ‘I’ll never forget where I was when…’ and, like, I was there. So I thought that was neat. And it was cool to see the fans just show him the utmost respect that he has earned.”
The die-hard Los Angeles Dodgers fan — and part-time Detroit Lions supporter since his friend Jared Goff was acquired from the Los Angeles Rams in January 2021 — enthused about the energy during the Tigers’ 10-inning, 6-4 loss to the San Diego Padres: “The energy is good. I mean, they haven’t been very great for a bit, but they’ve got Miguel Cabrera, so it was cool to hear everybody go nuts when he got up to bat. … I got to go to root against the Padres, so that’s always a joy to have a dog in the fight.”
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2022-07-28T19:38:07Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Why Max Homa’s wife committed theft at a Detroit hotel (spoiler — she didn’t mean it)
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Having a billionaire governor has, on balance, been good for Illinois. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has been willing and able to use his personal resources to attract a high level of talent to public service at the state level, to all of our benefit. And his level of personal wealth has made it easier for him to stay out of the swamp that has tripped up so many other Illinois pols. When you can finance ...
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2022-07-28T20:33:01Z
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Bears' Justin Fields, Cole Kmet show off developing chemistry
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Texas-Based Red Maple Marks 25 Years as an International Software Company Red Maple software company is celebrating 25 years Red Maple software company is celebrating 25 years BOERNE, Texas, July 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Texas-based software company Red Maple is celebrating a big milestone this summer with its 25thanniversary. For the past 25 years, Red Maple has helped thousands of clients increase productivity and protect their business and customer data. Founded by Jennifer Roberts in 199
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2022-07-28T20:34:17Z
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Is Rhamondre Stevenson poised to have James White role with Patriots?
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Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Aaron Brewer is vying for the left guard job in training camp after spending his first two years in the league as a reliable backup.
For much of the offseason, we’ve been saying the competition will be fairly even but that Brewer has the advantage over fellow lineman Jamarco Jones thanks to his experience in the offense and the coaching staff’s familiarity with him.
On Thursday, head coach Mike Vrabel only strengthened our belief that Brewer is the favorite for the job when he heaped praise on the 2020 undrafted free agent, saying Brewer is “tougher than a $2 steak.”
“[Brewer is] explosive, he’s quick, he’s tougher than a $2 steak,” Vrabel said when asked how Brewer overcomes his smaller frame. “He understands the angles and trying to get to guys, and understands pad level, technique, and those are a lot of things that he can do that somebody that’s bigger can’t, just the way that he moves. I just like the way he competes, I like the way that he shows up to work everyday and is willing to compete.”
"He's tougher than a $2 steak" 😂@CoachVrabel50 on @Bigtime_AB pic.twitter.com/yWRK6jMFFP
When Brewer spoke to the media earlier this offseason and was asked about people who doubt him because of his size (6-foot-1, 274 pounds), the Texas State product brushed it off, saying it’s something he’s heard before.
“I’ve heard that forever, from high school up to this point now,” said Brewer, via Jim Wyatt of Titans Online. “But it didn’t stop me then, and it’s not going to stop me now.”
Thanks to the premiere of Season 4 Volume 2 of “Stranger Things,” the series now holds the record for the second biggest week in the history of Nielsen’s streaming rankings. “Stranger Things” was viewed for 5.9 billion minutes during the June 27-July 3 viewing window, which marked the first three days of availability of Season […]
After going undrafted in 2020, Tennessee Titans' Nick Westbrook-Ikinhe found his role last season. This training camp, he's focused on building trust.
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2022-07-28T20:34:29Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Titans’ Mike Vrabel praises Aaron Brewer: ‘He’s tougher than a $2 steak’
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Just in time for the first day in pads, the Raider got back one of their interior defensive linemen. Vernon Butler came off the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list Wednesday adding some more depth to the line.
The veteran defensive lineman signed with the team this offseason to compete for a spot in the rotation.
A first-round pick in the 2016 draft, the Louisiana Tech product never lived up to his draft status. He’s started a combined 19 games in his career, all over the past three seasons in Carolina and Buffalo.
His best season came in 2019, a contract year after the Panthers didn’t pick up his fifth-year option. That season, he started nine games and had six sacks, eight QB hits, 32 combined tackles with seven going for a loss, and three forced fumbles.
He hasn’t had a sack in the two seasons since with just three combined QB hits.
What we see is a player who is capable of putting up good numbers if used properly or, alternatively, applies himself.
The interior defensive line for the Raiders is crowded, but with no surefire favorites, so he will have the opportunity to earn a spot, but could just as easily find himself cut come the season if he isn’t the right fit. Being on the field for camp certainly increases his chance to gain a foothold in that competition.
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2022-07-28T20:34:42Z
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Vernon Butler comes off Non-Football Injury list for Raiders
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Gone are the days of a verbal commitment to one school meaning the others would simply leave one alone. Notre Dame has had several verbal commitments back out over the years while the Irish have pulled their fair share of previously committed prospects from elsewhere.
Earlier this month the Irish extended an offer to quarterback Austin Novosad, a Baylor commitment since December, and were recently able to get him on campus. It doesn’t stop there in Notre Dame’s attempt to raid the Big 12 as Marcus Freeman, Tommy Rees, and company are targeting a speedster currently committed to Kansas State.
Dylan Edwards committed to Kansas State in June of 2022 but earned a scholarship offer from the Fighting Irish on Wednesday. He is rated as a four-star prospect, the 19th best running back in the class and the second overall player from Kansas in the 2023 recruiting cycle according to the 247Sports composite rating.
Edwards was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Kansas for the 2021 season after putting up 3,214 total yards and 40 touchdowns as a junior. He averaged a mere 12.5 yards per carry a year after helping Derby High School to the 2020 Kansas 6A state championship.
Edwards primarily is a running back but has spent time at wide receiver. If Notre Dame were able to ultimately flip him from Kansas State one would assume they would get him on the field by any means necessary as his speed is truly elite.
Notre Dame currently has 20 commitments in the 2023 recruiting class with four-star Jayden Limar being the sole running back. We’ll keep you posted to all the latest as this certainly develops.
Ford confirms job cuts as part of overall strategy but declines to provide detail.
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2022-07-28T21:11:46Z
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Notre Dame offers speedy Big 12 commitment in ’23 class
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Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo confirmed after practice that he had the opportunity Wednesday night to meet with Dunlap but stopped short of on confirming reports of Dunlap’s signing.
OK, but what about in a hypothetical sense because the Chiefs haven’t confirmed the multiple reports? What would Dunlap bring to the Chiefs defense?
“You got to do that,” Spagnuolo responded with a laugh. “That’s really good. Listen, I would say this particular player — how’s that? Listen, I’m always happy to have big, long guys that have experience, have played in the league.
“But I’ll be honest with you, I mean, I do know something about the player just from afar. But until we get him in here to find out where we can use him best — and that’s exactly what I told him last night when we talked.”
Spagnuolo and the Chiefs will get a good idea on what Dunlap will offer to the defense sooner than later.
The Chiefs are indeed signing Dunlap, a source familiar with the situation confirmed with The Star.
With Dunlap, the Chiefs landed a proven players with 12 seasons of NFL experience. More importantly, the team adds an edge rusher with 96 career sacks since he entered the league in 2010 as a second-round pick with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he became a two-time Pro Bowl selection (2015-16) and recorded 82.5 quarterback takedowns.
Dunlap spent the past two seasons with the Seattle Seahawks and has appeared in 180 career games with 123 starts. In addition to the 96 sacks, Dunlap has totaled 539 tackles, 21 forced fumbles, two interceptions and 255 quarterback hits.
“His resume speaks for itself,” Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones said. “I think he had seven, eight sacks last year for Seattle. He’s a high character guy. I trained with him this offseason in Miami.”
The 33-year-old Dunlap would be expected to bolster what is currently a young defensive end group outside of the 29-year-old Frank Clark.
The rest of the pass rush group consisting of first-round pick George Karlaftis (21), Mike Danna (24), Joshua Kaindoh (23), Malik Herring (24) and Azur Kamara (23) average just 23 years of age.
And to Jones’ point, adding another veteran presence would serve the group well.
“A little young, a little inexperienced, but I think we got some good options,” Spagnuolo said of his current group of pass rushers without Dunlap. “I think this is going to be one of those years that it’s going to take us, three, four, five games – hopefully, as we win – where we figure out where everybody goes, and who should be doing this and who should be playing. I just think it’s one of those years with all the new faces.”
Veteran player? Check. Proven production in his career? Check. Help stabilize a young position group? Triple check.
“If we’re able to add him and that report is true, we’ll accept Carlos with open arms,” Jones said. “I think he’s a veteran guy that’s had a lot of experience in this league.
“To have a veteran guy like that in this position group, I think it would be remarkable.”
Ed Dunlap, the owner of Pittsburgh’s LeMont Restaurant and founder of CentiMark died at 83 years old on July 23.
#Chiefs RG Trey Smith focused on a few things at this year's OL Masterminds Summit and received help from Hall of Fame OG Steve Hutchinson. | from @EdEastonJr
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2022-07-28T21:12:17Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Here’s what the Kansas City Chiefs are getting with signing of veteran Carlos Dunlap
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After suffering what could’ve been a career-ending injury when making a diving catch that caused him to be taken on a gurney in Week 15 against the Chiefs, tight end Donald Parham is back on the field like he didn’t lose a step.
“He’s a guy that I think can do a lot more than what we did last year,” offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said on Parham. “I think his ability to go up and catch the ball and high point it. His size and height differential is something we really want to tap into.”
While he was used primarily as a pass-catcher in 2020, his first season with the Bolts, Parham took significant strides to become a complete player at the position – showing more toughness and blocking ability throughout the year.
“He’s a better blocker than I would’ve thought,” Lombardi said.
Parham will be joined by the newest addition of the tight end group Gerald Everett, who will be the team’s top option at the position, and second-year Tre’ McKitty, who showed plenty of promise as an in-line blocker in his rookie season.
If he stays healthy, Parham should continue to take another step forward and be an integral part of the offense this season, whether it’s threatening the seams, boxing out defenders in the red zone, or sealing blocks.
Story originally appeared on Chargers Wire
Stay up to date with all the action from the first day of Chargers training camp.
Stay up to date with all the action from the second day of Chargers training camp.
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2022-07-28T22:08:45Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Chargers TE Donald Parham expected to take another step forward
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When the Dallas Cowboys host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to kick off the 2022 NFL regular season, they’ll do so without one of their top offensive weapons.
Wide receiver Michael Gallup, who is coming off a season-ending knee injury, told the media Thursday that playing in Week 1 is “not a reasonable possibility,” per USA TODAY Sports’ Jori Epstein.
Gallup is expected to have an expanded role in the Cowboys’ offense following the departure of Amari Cooper, but it doesn’t look like he’ll be ready to face the Bucs to open up the season.
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2022-07-28T22:08:51Z
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Cowboys WR Michael Gallup won’t play in season opener vs. Bucs
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There it is: ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported that the New York Jets are signing Kwon Alexander to a one-year contract, meaning the former New Orleans Saints linebacker will not be returning to the Big Easy. Alexander visited New York early this year upon reaching free agency, but it took some time for both sides to reach a deal. Because we’re well past the NFL compensatory draft pick cutoff date, the Saints won’t receive any future picks for Alexander’s departure.
It’s a good opportunity for Alexander to reunite with his old defensive coordinator Robert Saleh (now the Jets head coach), but it comes at an inopportune time for New Orleans with Alexander’s successor Pete Warner missing time in training camp with an injury.
Alexander quickly became a fan-favorite with the Saints, pairing up with Demario Davis as a set of playmaking veterans at the second level of the defense; the sizeable LSU Tigers lobby within the fanbase didn’t need much of a push to warm up to the Baton Rouge product, either, and his surprising rally back from an Achilles injury made him easy to root for. Now he’ll be playing with his former Saints teammates Sheldon Rankins and Justin Hardee Sr. up north.
Werner showed enough as a rookie last year to earn confidence in his ability to replace Alexander full-time, but that hinges on how many practices he’ll have to sit out while healing up. He can run and cover with the best of them so long as his body’s right. In the meantime, look for backups Zack Baun and Kaden Elliss to fill in for him during practice, along with first-year draft pick D’Marco Jackson.
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2022-07-28T22:09:41Z
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Kwon Alexander signs 1-year contract with the Jets
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Report: Serious knee injury feared for Ryan Jensen originally appeared on Pro Football Talk
The last pass Ryan Tannehill threw in the 2021 postseason was an interception. Instead of piloting the AFC’s No. 1 seed Titans to a late playoff victory over the underdog Bengals, Tannehill threw the pick led to Cincinnati’s game-winning 52-yard field goal as time expired. Tannehill has spoken about how he needed weeks of therapy [more]
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2022-07-28T22:10:26Z
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Report: Serious knee injury feared for Ryan Jensen
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FOXBORO -- What we've seen in the first two days from Patriots training camp practices is hardly training camp at all. Bill Belichick will tell you as much. This is essentially an extension of what the Patriots did in the spring, he'll explain. That's all.
Amari Cooper has played with seven different starting quarterbacks over his first seven years. That's prepared him for the Browns' QB questions.
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2022-07-28T22:10:38Z
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Stock up, stock down: Joshuah Bledsoe back to disrupt Patriots offense early in camp
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Golden State's road back to the Finals certainly won't be easy, especially in the Western Conference, where multiple teams will give the Warriors a run for their money.
Hall of Famer and current NBA on TNT analyst Charles Barkley joined NBC Sports Bay Area's Monte Poole on the latest episode of the "Dubs Talk" podcast, where he was asked who he believes could be Golden State's biggest threat out West.
"Well, I think the Clippers, they're going to be in consideration for the favorites in the West," Barkley said. "Denver's going to be up there, obviously, the Warriors are going to be there. To me, the Clippers man, they're going to be really dangerous when they get Kawhi [Leonard] and Paul George back. They made some trades the past year that's really going to help them, but if they can get Kawhi and Paul George back, the Clippers are going to be awesome."
RELATED: How Barkley believes Warriors can be good 'for a long long time'
Along with the Denver Nuggets, Barkley believes these three teams will compete for the top spot in the West. However, they won't be alone as the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, and Minnesota Timberwolves figure to be among the top teams in the conference.
If the Clippers are as much of a threat as Barkley anticipates, the Warriors' path to repeating as champions is about to get even tougher.
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2022-07-28T22:41:49Z
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Who Charles Barkley claims is Warriors' biggest Western Conference threat
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Australian professional golfer (born 1955)
This may come as a shock to most golf fans, but Charles Howell III was always destined to join LIV Golf.
Despite his “22 wonderful years on the PGA Tour” that spanned 608 events and earned the 43-year-old more than $42 million with just three wins, Howell was ready for a change. Plus he idolizes LIV’s leader.
“Greg Norman was my hero as a kid growing up. I mean, every year at the Masters and Augusta, I couldn’t wait to get out there and watch Greg Norman play,” said Howell, an Augusta, Georgia, native. “Man, he was an idol. I had a life-sized cardboard cutout of Greg in my room way back in his Spalding days. He was just the man.”
Howell is one of the latest players to take his talents to the upstart circuit backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and will make his debut this week at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster. When asked about the human rights issues in the Kingdom in the pre-event press conference featuring fellow LIV rookies Jason Kokrak and Paul Casey, Howell admitted that while he’s never been to Saudi Arabia, he’s “excited to go.”
“Being a sports fan, I believe sports can be a force for good and change,” said Howell, invoking a frequently used talking point by players to deflect difficult questions from the media. “Example in Saudi Arabia, Lewis Hamilton, Formula 1 driver, speaks out on these issues. We’re speaking out on these issues right now and today. That’s the first step of change.”
Howell actually neglected to take that first step and didn’t say a single word about Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, gay people being subject to capital punishment or women’s rights, despite being explicitly asked to speak out on those very issues during the press conference.
Instead, he added, “I believe golf can, will be and is a force for change and good, and that’s why I’m sitting here.”
Speaking of Formula 1, the race in Saudi Arabia in March of this year was almost canceled after a missile strike hit Jeddah just 10 miles from the track. Drivers had a four-hour meeting the Friday before the race and discussed a boycott, but were ultimately continued on with the weekend’s events.
While Howell can’t wait to get to Saudi Arabia and travel more internationally with his family, Hamilton couldn’t wait to get out.
“I am so happy the weekend is done,” said Hamilton, a seven-time world champion in the sport who wore the Progress Pride flag on his helmet when he won the inaugural race in the Kingdom in 2021. “I am so happy that everyone is safe, I am just looking forward to getting out. I just want to go home.”
Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP prepares to drive during the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on December 05, 2021, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
“Of course, I am relieved (to have got through the weekend),” added fellow driver Lando Norris. “It is a nervous place to be and you are going to have these nerves.”
Like the rest of his colleagues, Howell played up the excitement of the team event and downplayed the millions of dollars in guaranteed money as the reason for his decision to join LIV, going as far as saying, “No, money was not a factor.”
“I still love the game. I love the game more today than I did five years ago. Now that my son is playing competitive golf, I’m even more incentivized in the game,” said Howell. “This is something really new and exciting.
How it started vs. how it's going: Here's what pro golfers said before about LIV Golf, and what they're saying now
42nd Ryder Cup
After three straight years marred by injuries that have limited his availability and effectiveness, the 2022 season would be a big one for Giants running back Saquon Barkley under any circumstances. It’s all the bigger because of Barkley’s contract situation. The Giants picked up their option on Barkley’s contract for this year, but any new [more]
Checking out the sweet treats at DC's Citi Open tournament
FOX 5’s Claire Anderson has a look at the delicious ice cream options Ice Cream Jubilee will be serving up at The Citi Open tennis tournament, which is returning to D.C. over the weekend!
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2022-07-28T22:41:55Z
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Charles Howell III avoids Saudi Arabia human rights abuses, explains why he joined LIV Golf after 22-year PGA Tour career
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Tennessee redshirt senior tight end Jacob Warren has been named to the Wuerffel Trophy preseason watch list.
Warren is one of 115 student-athletes on the list.
The award is named in honor of Danny Wuerffel. Wuerffel played quarterback at Florida and won the Heisman Trophy in 1996.
The award is presented each February in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The Wuerffel Trophy honors top college football players who serve others, celebrate their positive impact on society and inspire greater service in the world.
The Wuerffel Trophy was established in 2005 and is presented annually to an FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with leadership achievement on and off the field. It is the first major award honoring the character of service to others.
Warren earned an undergraduate kinesiology degree in May.
He is a four-time member of the SEC honor roll and is pursuing a Master of Science in agricultural leadership, education and communication.
Warren is on the Vols’ leadership council.
Tank Bigsby has landed on his third preseason watch list so far.
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2022-07-28T22:42:15Z
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Jacob Warren named to Wuerffel Trophy preseason watch list
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Auburn running back Tank Bigsby finds himself on yet another watch list.
Bigsby was one of 52 college football players to be named to the Paul Hornung Award watch list on Thursday afternoon. The award is presented annually to the most versatile player in college football at the season’s end by the Louisville Sports Commission.
The Hornung Award watch list is the third such watch list that Bigsby has landed on this preseason. Last week, Bigsby made the watch list for the Maxwell Award, which is given to the best player in College Football. He also landed on the Doak Walker watch list, an award given to the top running back.
Bigsby is heading into his third season as the Tigers’ premier back. In 2021, he rushed for 1,099 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground and reeled in 21 catches for 184 yards.
Bigsby is one of four athletes from the SEC to be named to the Hornung Award watch list, joining Alabama‘s Jahmyr Gibbs, Mississippi State’s Ja’Quavious Marks, and Texas A&M‘s Devon Achane.
#WatchListSZN never stops!@tank_bigsby 🤝 @hornungaward
📰 » https://t.co/wTgjFiyG2D#WarEagle🦅 pic.twitter.com/Pu60MBYnEQ
USA TODAY Sports Images Michigan running back Blake Corum is one of the best running backs in college football.More affirmation on that notion came through Thursday afternoon when the junior running back found himself on the Paul Hornung Award Watch List.
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2022-07-28T22:42:35Z
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Tank Bigsby named to Paul Hornung watch list
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Ben Roethlisberger does not appear to enjoy being in the headlines for Pittsburgh Steelers training camp in his first year of retirement, though he has few people to blame other than Ben Roethlisberger.
The longtime Steelers starting quarterback walked back comments he made last week about the younger generation of players, complaining they are "coddled" from a young age and not "team-first" like the supposedly superior players of his generation.
The comments triggered a backlash, including from Roethlisberger's former teammate and current Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward.
On Thursday, Roethlisberger appeared on the Randy Baumann & the DVE Morning Show on 102.5 FM to address the fallout. He conceded that he painted with too broad a brush and said the majority of young Steelers players were actually team-first:
"I probably should've been more detailed, more specific in what I said. It's not the majority of the guys that are that way. I think, in part, I was saying too when asked what the difference of the league now from when I first got in and even when Cam got in, the difference in the league and the mentality of players, toughness, whatever you want to say. To me, it was a very broad-stroked comment.
"The majority of guys on that team are team-first guys. I hated that it got painted like it's the majority of me-first, it's not that way. There are so many great team guys on that team that care about the Steelers, this organization and winning. Maybe I should have clarified a little more to begin with. That's my bad."
Roethlisberger added that Heyward was entitled to be angry at him, but claimed the two had similar conversations about younger players over their years together. Heyward said on his podcast Roethlisberger's comments "rubbed him the wrong way" and defended his teammates.
Ben Roethlisberger has some regrets about his comments on young Steelers players last week. (Photo by Manny Carabel/Getty Images)
The Roethlisberger comments in question originally appeared in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Here is what he is quoted as saying:
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2022-07-28T23:39:34Z
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Ben Roethlisberger walks back comments on 'coddled' young Steelers players
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Bucky Brooks, David Carr weigh in on Kyler Murray's response to critics
NFL Network's Bucky Brooks, David Carr weigh in on Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray's response to critics. This game is streaming live on the Yahoo Sports mobile app, or on NFL Network
If Kyler Murray believes it’s disrespectful to think he isn’t a student of the game, the source of the disrespect traces to the logo on his helmet. The Cardinals created this issue by putting a homework clause in his contract. It wasn’t the product of the spinning of a wheel of obscurely random terms. They [more]
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2022-07-28T23:39:47Z
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Bucky Brooks, David Carr weigh in on Kyler Murray's response to critics
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The Seahawks are signing wide receiver D.K. Metcalf to a three-year deal worth $72 million, according to a report by Adam Schefter. Jordan Schultz was the first to report the news. Metcalf’s new contract includes $58.2 million in guarantees and a $30 million signing bonus.
Metcalf is entering his fourth season in the NFL. In 49 career games he has totaled 216 catches, 3,170 yards and 29 touchdowns.
In terms of annual money, Metcalf’s new deal makes him one of the highest-paid players at his position. His averge of $24 million per year ties him with Stefon Diggs of the Bills for the sixth-highest mark among wide receivers.
Metcalf had been “holding in” at training camp over the last two days, a popular new move among players looking for a new contract without getting fined for missing practice. He had also skipped mandatory minicamp earlier this offseason for the same reason after attending voluntary OTAs.
One of the finest athletes in the sport, Metcalf was recently ranked the 10th best receiver in the league by ESPN.
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2022-07-28T23:41:28Z
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Seahawks signing WR D.K. Metcalf to 3-year, $72 million contract extension
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Tom Brady roasts Max Kellerman on anniversary of 'cliff' take originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
It's safe to say Max Kellerman will never live down his infamous "fall off a cliff" take on Tom Brady.
Thursday marked the sixth anniversary of the former First Take co-host saying Brady is "just about done." Since then, the former New England Patriots quarterback has won three Super Bowl titles, including one in his debut season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He'll return in 2022 for his age 45 season and has a real chance to add an eighth Super Bowl ring to his collection.
Kellerman admitted he was wrong a couple of years ago, but we can't blame Brady for taking the opportunity to dunk on him. Of all of Brady's doubters over the years, the ESPN personality stands out above the rest.
Brady is coming off a 2021 campaign in which he completed 67.5 percent of his passes for 5,316 yards and 43 touchdowns. He announced his retirement shortly after the season but had a change of heart only one month later. At this point, Brady may never fall off Kellerman's cliff. He'll likely sail into the sunset and go out on top as the greatest quarterback in NFL history.
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2022-07-28T23:41:34Z
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Tom Brady roasts Max Kellerman on anniversary of 'cliff' take
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers appear to have suffered a major blow, as Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen suffered a knee injury during Thursday’s training camp practice, and had to be carted from the field.
Video of the injury has now surfaced, and can be seen here.
Jensen signed a three-year extension with the Bucs this offseason, after spending the last four seasons in Tampa Bay, helping them win a Super Bowl in 2020.
While early reports have suggested the news won’t be good for Jensen and the Bucs, it might still be a few days before a formal diagnosis is made, pending further testing.
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2022-07-28T23:41:41Z
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Video surfaces of Ryan Jensen’s knee injury
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The Pac-12 media selections were announced today with Utah being the favorite to repeat as conference champions.
Oregon was picked to finish second and face the Utes in the Pac-12 title game in December. Utah received 26 of the 33 first-place votes. They picked the Ducks to win the North and the title in 2021, but there are no divisions this season.
Although USC picked up five first place votes to Oregon’s two, the Ducks received more overall points than the Trojans (345-341).
The conference dissolved the divisional format going forward since the conference presidents didn’t want the top two teams being in one division and one of the best squads being left out of the title game.
UCLA was picked fourth with 289 points and perhaps a surprise selection, Oregon State, was predicted to finish fifth with 246 points.
Washington (212) and Washington State (177) were picked to finish sixth and seventh, respectively, with the Bay Area schools (Stanford and Cal) and the Arizona schools (ASU and Arizona) falling behind. Colorado was the unlucky one to be picked to finish last with 58 points.
The 2022 Pac-12 Football Championship Game takes place on Friday, Dec. 2 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will be carried on FOX.
USA TODAY Images On the eve of Pac-12 Media Day, the conference released its preseason media poll on Thursday afternoon.USC landed third overall while receiving 5 out of 33 first-place votes, finishing behind Utah (26 first-place votes) and Oregon (2), which received more overall points in the voting.
Brenda Goss Andrews Becomes 45th NOBLE President Leading 4,000 Members NOBLE Swears in Brenda Goss Andrews Goss Andrews was sworn in by Ronald Gatehe, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana, Wednesday night during the Presidential Gala at NOBLE’s 46th Annual Training Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, Florida. Goss Andrews chose an African theme for her presidential gala – “A Tribute to Our Roots” – after recently learning her ancestors were from Burkina Faso in West Africa.
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2022-07-29T00:13:10Z
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Pac-12 media picks Utah to edge out Oregon for conference title
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Ty Majeski prepares for maiden playoff run: 'This is what I envisioned and hoped for'
Entering the 2022 Camping World Truck Series Playoffs, Ty Majeski is having a season that’s up to par with the top of the field. He’s tied for third in season top 10s with 10 and tied for second in top-five finishes with seven. Even without a victory, Majeski is on solid ground to start his […]
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2022-07-29T00:13:23Z
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Warriors' Ryan Rollins signing three-year rookie contract, agents say
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The 2021-22 athletic year was not a banner one for the University of Florida, at least by CBS Sports’ standards. The annual Best in College Sports rankings came out on Monday and Florida placed 36th in the nation, one spot behind LSU, with 275.50 total points.
The point system favors the major sports, football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball, weighting them more heavily than other sports. Here’s a brief rundown of how it’s all calculated. Keep in mind that each school is ranked based on those three sports and two wild cards among the school’s most successful spectator sports.
The weighted formula puts 2.5 times as much emphasis on football and 2.0 times as much on men’s basketball compared to the rest of the sports. Teams that do not finish in the final AP Top 25 in football but play in a bowl are awarded 62.5 points (25 x 2.5). (Teams that either opted out of bowl games or saw postseason contests canceled received 62.5 points in football.) Those that make the men’s NIT are given 20 points (10 x 2), while WNIT teams receive 10 points. For all titles settled via bracket, such as the NCAA Tournament, point totals are based on number of participants. All champions in the other sports receive 100 points for a national championship in the formula created by long-time CBS Sports producer J. Darin Darst.
Michigan claimed the top spot on the list followed by Notre Dame, Ohio State, North Carolina and Arkansas. Florida ranks 10th in the SEC and second among in-state programs. Miami finished 12th overall, UCF was No. 47 and FSU was all the way down at 65th.
While it’s unclear exactly which sports are Florida’s wildcard, it’s a safe bet that the first is gymnastics. The 90 out of 100 possible points is in line with the Gators’ second-place finish at nationals and softball’s super regional finish could be the 78 points in the second spot.
As the calendar turns over once again, Florida is hoping to finish higher up. A strong rebound from first-year head coaches Billy Napier and Todd Golden in football and men’s basketball, respectively, would help out a ton.
Shaikin: How one Chicago Cubs fan (who's also a senator) is fighting for minor leaguers
A woman is charged with child abduction for an incident that triggered an Amber Alert in west suburban Maywood.
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2022-07-29T00:13:29Z
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Where Florida ranks among the best in college sports, per CBS Sports
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Kurt Busch is set to miss a second race after suffering an apparent concussion in a qualifying crash at Pocono.
Busch will be replaced by Xfinity Series driver Ty Gibbs in the No. 45 car for 23XI Racing on Sunday at the Indianapolis road course. Gibbs made his Cup Series debut filling in for Busch on short notice at Pocono after Busch's car crashed into the wall exiting Turn 3 in qualifying on Saturday.
"Following medical evaluations after his wreck at Pocono Raceway last Saturday, Kurt Busch has not been cleared by the NASCAR medical team to return to competition this weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course," 23XI Racing said in a statement. "Ty Gibbs will once again fill in for Kurt in the No. 45 Monster Energy Toyota Camry TRD. Kurt’s health is of the utmost importance to the team and we wish him all the best as he prepares for his return."
Busch said he was experiencing "concussion-like" symptoms after the wreck and was not cleared by NASCAR to race at Pocono on Sunday morning. Gibbs finished 18th in the race.
Busch has gotten a waiver from NASCAR to remain playoff eligible despite missing races. Busch won at Kansas in May to essentially secure his playoff spot. He's currently 17th in the points standings and the lowest-ranked driver in the Cup Series who has just one win. With 14 different winners over the first 21 races, Busch could miss the playoffs if three drivers without a win get a victory over the final five regular-season races of the season and he's the lowest-ranked driver with a win. But that's an unlikely proposition.
Busch, 43, joined 23XI Racing ahead of the 2022 season when the team co-owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan expanded to add a second driver as a teammate to Bubba Wallace. The two races Busch has missed in 2022 are the first Cup Series races he's missed since he was absent for the first three races of the 2015 season.
Kurt Busch is currently 17th in the Cup Series points standings after missing the Pocono race. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Defending IndyCar series champion Alex Palou spoke to reporters the day after Chip Ganassi Racing failed a lawsuit against him.
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2022-07-29T00:23:03Z
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NASCAR: Kurt Busch to miss second consecutive race after Pocono qualifying crash
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MR. HOCKEY: Remembering Gordie Howe: Mr. Hockey to generations
Al Kaline, born Dec. 19, 1934 in Baltimore, Maryland, is most known as "Mr. Tiger" and his 22 years playing for the Detroit Tigers. Kaline was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980.
TALES ABOUT AL: Al Kaline was a first-class man, even when I bombarded him 40 years ago
MORE ON ZEKE: How Isiah Thomas became the greatest Detroit Piston ever
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Barry Sanders, Isiah Thomas sit atop Mt. Rushmore of Detroit pros
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2022-07-29T00:53:23Z
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Mr. Hockey, Mr. Tiger, Barry Sanders, Isiah Thomas top this Detroit 'Mount Rushmore'
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Despite Lollapalooza cofounder Perry Farrell reportedly saying that festival organizers have reached a deal to keep the flagship music festival in Chicago for another decade, no such agreement is yet finalized. A spokesman for Texas-based C3 Presents, which puts on Lollapalooza, said its negotiations continue with the city and the Chicago Park District. “We have no official agreement, but we ...
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2022-07-29T01:02:17Z
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Steve Stone says White Sox baserunning is the worst he's seen
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The Seattle Seahawks came to terms on a much-needed contract extension with wide receiver DK Metcalf on Thursday.
Metcalf will get a $30 million signing bonus, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The number is a record for a WR.
Overall, the three-year extension is worth $72 million, with $58.2M guaranteed.
Now, if only Geno Smith or Drew Lock can find Metcalf as frequently and with as much precision as Russell Wilson did.
Metcalf has 216 catches over three seasons for 3,170 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Is this solely a leverage play for the Nets, or is there more going on here?
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2022-07-29T01:11:30Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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DK Metcalf agrees to $72M contract extension with Seahawks
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DK Metcalf pushes off of the Jaguars' Rayshawn Jenkins as he runs with the ball on Oct. 31, 2021.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Seahawks' DK Metcalf signs three-year, $72 million extension
Story at a glance Jerry Jones used an insensitive word in a press conference earlier Tuesday when referring to former Cowboys scouting director Larry Lacewell, who died at age 85 in May. Little People of America (LPA), the world’s oldest and largest dwarfism support organization, pushed to abolish the word in 2015. LPA said the term…
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi filed a lawsuit against University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) officials.
President Biden seeks to quell rising tension over Taiwan in a call with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
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2022-07-29T01:11:49Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks agree to three-year, $72 million extension, per reports
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https://sports.yahoo.com/dk-metcalf-seattle-seahawks-agree-235102895.html?src=rss
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TAMPA — The first free agent the Bucs signed after Tom Brady ended his retirement was center Ryan Jensen. It wasn’t a coincidence. Brady is very particular about the player who snaps him the football and keeping Jensen was a big priority. The 31-year-old is coming off his first Pro Bowl selection and signed a three-year, $39 million contract with $26.5 million guaranteed one day after Brady ...
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2022-07-29T01:12:02Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Every NFL team’s top position battle to watch in training camp
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After Russell Wilson was traded to the Broncos, D.K. Metcalf became the best player on the Seahawks’ roster, hands down. Today, he got paid like it.
Metcalf is signing a three-year contract extension with Seattle worth a reported $72 million total, incuding over $58 million in guaranteed money. It makes him one of the highest-paid players in the game at his position and sets him up to cash in again just a few years down the line while he’s still in his prime.
Wilson just went on Twitter to congratulate his former teammate on his big payday, saying he deserves it all.
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2022-07-29T01:12:27Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Russell Wilson congratulates D.K. Metcalf on new deal: ‘You deserve it all, bro’
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Thursday wasn’t a great day for the 49ers offense. Each of the three quarterbacks threw an interception, but quarterback Trey Lance wasn’t hanging his head after a tough second day of camp. The second-year QB was able to spin a rough session into a positive.
Lance told reporters in his post-practice press conference that the club doesn’t want any turnovers, much less three. However, he was pleased with the way the offense responded each time.
“I mean, we’re going one day at a time, just trying to get better every single day,” Lance told reporters. “We know that our defense is really good, but I mean, three turnovers, one turnover is, is too many. But just because we have one turnover, I thought we turned the page really well. I thought the next few reps, for all of us, after our turnovers we turned it around really quick, which I think is, is a bigger part than not throwing picks at all.”
Interceptions could easily become a theme this preseason as Lance starts to get further into the offense.
First, he’s facing what might be one of the NFL’s top defenses.
Second, he’s still figuring out what his skill set can and can’t do against NFL defenders. There are going to be throws he made in college that won’t be available in the NFL. He’ll also need to figure out the strengths of his pass catchers.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if there are some practices with multiple INTs as he starts pushing the boundaries of his athleticism. Throwing those interceptions in a practice setting will diminish his chances of repeating that mistake in a game setting. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes famously struggled with interception issues in his first camp.
On the other hand, reports from practice indicated his Thursday interception was a matter of staring down a receiver and allowing safety Jimmie Ward to easily read the throw and step in front for a pick.
Bouncing back from INTs is key though. Even the best QBs turn it over sometimes. As long as Lance and the offense aren’t derailed entirely by mistakes, they should put themselves in a good spot moving into the regular season.
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2022-07-29T01:12:40Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Trey Lance, 49ers offense find growth in turnovers
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https://sports.yahoo.com/trey-lance-49ers-offense-growth-002957843.html?src=rss
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The 2022 Seattle Seahawks are facing all kinds of questions as they come into the new season — primarily at quarterback in the Russell Wilson era — but a similarly prominent question for head coach Pete Carroll as training camp got underway this week was the status of receiver D.K. Metcalf. The 2019 second-round pick was heading into the final year of his rookie contract, and he had been “holding in” through the first couple days of camp – i.e., showing up, but taking no reps.
“We’re working, and I don’t have any update for you, but we are working,” Carroll said Wednesday.
Well, now we know. On Thursday, the Seahawks signed Metcalf to a three-year, $72 million contract extension with $58.2 million guaranteed, and a $30 million signing bonus — per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the largest signing bonus ever given to a receiver.
It’s something the Seahawks had to do in the post-Russell Wilson era, where Geno Smith and Drew Lock are fighting it out to see who can “replace” Wilson. Receiver talent will be at an all-time premium, even given Carroll’s preferences for a balanced offense, and there are few more premium athletic talents than Metcalf. When you have a 6-foot-4, 235-pound receiver who can run a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, you’re dealing with a rare individual.
Moreover, Metcalf’s athleticism and speed have shown up more and more on the field as he’s expanded his route palette. Since his rookie season, Metcalf ranks 10th in targets among all NFL receivers (358), 17th in receptions (216), third in yards per reception (14.7), eighth in yards per target (8.9), and tied for fourth with Cooper Kupp in receiving touchdowns (29). Imagine what he could do in a pass-first offense…
Maybe we’ll get that chance down the road, because Metcalf will have another turn at free agency when he’s 27 years old.
What has made Metcalf so important to Seattle’s route-running is not his specific route excellence, though he has improved in that regard, and he’s always been better at it than a lot of people have given him credit for.
Why Seahawks’ DK Metcalf is a better route runner than you think
In June, Seahawks passing game coordinator Sanjay Lal was very specific regarding how good Metcalf is when it’s time to be exact with his routes.
“I’ve told people he’s the best receiver I’ve ever been around that took the techniques from practice into the game,” Lal said. “If we ran a stutter-hinge versus Patrick Peterson, how it looked and walked through, how it looked in an individual period, how it looked in team is exactly how it looked against Arizona. You can look at the tape. I’ve actually made cut-ups of, here’s how he did it here, and here’s how it looked in the game.”
Here’s how it looked when the Seahawks faced the Vikings in Week 3 of the 2021 season. The stutter-hinge is a route where Metcalf pushes a vertical look, gives the cornerback a double move, and then, looks to come back at the end of the route to present a favorable picture to the quarterback.
The next example Lal brought up was a 19-yard reception against the Patriots in Week 2 of the 2020 season, when Metcalf was facing Stephon Gilmore at a time when Gilmore was arguably the NFL’s best cornerback.
Lal didn’t mention this vicious whip route that left Peterson, a future Hall of Famer, out of the picture, but it’s worth reviewing.
Remember, folks: DK Metcalf can't run routes. pic.twitter.com/sa6t5D2Sq3
“The Stephon Gilmore ‘V’ route, [the] pylon route that he caught, we’ve got walkthrough reps of him running it exactly like that,” Lal said of the Gilmore play. “He had to get a yard inside the hash. He had to get his eyes back for a count, otherwise Stephon would not undercut him. It’s very rare for a receiver under duress, under the lights to go do that in a game and he did it perfectly.
“You watch the clip, as soon as he touches the hash, his eyes come back inside, Steph goes underneath, and he puts his foot in the ground and goes over the top. Had it been one yard off, that play wouldn’t have worked. Even with all that precision, it was still a bang, bang play downfield. So he’s the best I’ve seen at that.”
Of course, there are other times when Metcalf just bodies the poor defender facing him, and that’s where the size/speed equation becomes quite unfavorable for the other side.
Back to the route stuff, though — here, Metcalf puts Jalen Ramsey in the blender with a preposterous pivot-and-up. Good luck with THAT.
I mean, this was just NASTY. pic.twitter.com/W9IwBIfceT
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) October 8, 2021
And, he’s already proven to be a more than able target for Smith, who replaced Wilson for a time last season due to injury. This 84-yard touchdown against the Saints’ top-tier defense on a quick throw from Smith was basically Metcalf saying to cornerback Marshon Lattimore: “I’m D.K. Metcalf, and you’re not.”
Safety Marcus Williams tried to help from single-high, but that was not going to happen, either.
Turns out, Lattimore didn’t appreciate Metcalf’s physical style.
DK Metcalf was really treating Marshon Lattimore like his little brother last night😭 pic.twitter.com/tahjVUONoL
— Owen Kidd (@OKiddVT) October 26, 2021
Metcalf’s new deal puts him in the elite category among receivers, which is exactly where he belongs.
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2022-07-29T01:12:46Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Why D.K. Metcalf is worth every bit of his new contract extension
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Angels reliever Aaron Loup and catcher Chad Wallach talk on the mound before Loup exits a game against the Texas Rangers on May 17. Loup knows there's a chance he could be traded before the MLB trade deadline on Tuesday. (Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press)
“It's just part of what it is,” southpaw Aaron Loup said before the Angels' game against the Texas Rangers on Thursday. “If you're on a, I'm gonna hate to say it but, a losing team like we are right now when it comes to this time of the year, typically you end up selling guys and losing guys.
Angels starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard throws against the Kansas City Royals on Monday. (Reed Hoffmann / Associated Press)
“I love here and I love the opportunity [general manager Perry Minasian’s] given me,” Loup said on the possibility of being traded, “and the guys in this locker room I've had a blast playing with all year. But at the same time, you get a chance to be on a playoff team, playing in the playoffs, it's something special.”
“Like, you don't know where you're going, if you’re going to get traded,” Tepera said. “A lot of things are up in the air… we can't do anything about it, so we just take it day by day and kind of stick with our job.”
Tepera signed a two-year deal worth $14 million with the Angels in March. Asked about the possibility of being traded at the deadline again, Tepera said: “I'm comfortable here. I signed a two-year deal here for a reason. The ultimate goal was to come here and win, to say the least but, getting older and towards the end of my career, I want to be in a place where we can win. Wherever that takes me, it takes me.”
Matt Chapman drove in three runs on two home runs for the Toronto Blue Jays as the Detroit Tigers lost, 5-3, on Thursday night.
Former UNC baseball pitcher Daniel Bard is a hot name as the MLB trade deadline approaches, with multiple teams reported to be interested.
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2022-07-29T03:15:10Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Amid woeful season, Angels players accept their trade-block fate: 'It is what it is'
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Let's get to work 💪 @juliojones_11 pic.twitter.com/LStaANFutP
After spending a decade tormenting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a member of the division-rival Atlanta Falcons, seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Julio Jones has flown south for the 2022 season.
Jones signed a one-year deal with the Bucs on Wednesday, joining an already star-studded group of pass-catchers in Tampa Bay, along with the GOAT in quarterback Tom Brady.
Watch the video above to see Jones’ message for Bucs fans just after he officially signed his contract.
The Falcons have signed defensive lineman Darrion Daniels, the team announced Wednesday. Daniels entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2020, signing with the 49ers. He spent most of the past two seasons on San Francisco’s practice squad. He played in four games as a rookie, seeing action on 66 defensive snaps, and [more]
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2022-07-29T03:15:35Z
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WATCH: Julio Jones has a message for Bucs fans
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Now the question is whether it will be enough to bring the two jailed Americans home.
Will the Russians accept a 2-for-1 trade for a notorious arms trafficker who for years has been atop the Kremlin’s prisoner exchange wish list? Or will they seek to extract more concessions from the U.S. than the release of Viktor Bout?
Blinken said Wednesday that the U.S. initially made its offer to the Kremlin “weeks ago” and that the governments have since “communicated repeatedly and directly on that proposal.” In a sharp reversal of the U.S.’s recent isolationist policy toward Russia, Blinken said that he intends to soon “follow up personally” about Griner and Whelan with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed surprise on Thursday that the U.S. went public with its offer rather than adhering to the diplomatic silence that often typifies prisoner release negotiations. Peskov emphasized that “no agreements have been finalized” but he did not shoot down the possibility that a deal eventually could be reached.
Yahoo Sports spoke with a handful of experts on hostage diplomacy and Russian foreign policy on Thursday to assess how the negotiations might proceed from here. Several experts said that a deal may yet be months away — and that the final iteration is unlikely to match what the U.S. has already proposed.
Dartmouth University foreign policy fellow Danielle Gilbert contends that the U.S. wouldn’t have publicly revealed its trade offer if it thought Russia was poised to accept. To Gilbert, Blinken’s comments on Wednesday portend “complicated negotiations” that are “a few steps away from being completed.”
“My hunch is that this is not going to be the final deal,” Gilbert said.
William Pomeranz, an authority on Russian law and politics, agreed that the Kremlin won’t be in any hurry to accept the Biden administration’s initial offer. Biden, Pomeranz pointed out, is under increasing pressure to secure Griner’s release. Vladimir Putin, on the other hand, “would like to bring Bout back, but, after 14 years, by no means is it the same level of urgency.”
“The U.S. pretty much laid its cards on the table, and now it’s the Russians who are in the driver’s seat,” said Pomeranz, the acting director of the Kennan Institute. “They can now dictate whether this prisoner swap happens and how fast this moves.”
Brittney Griner stands in a cage at a court room prior to a hearing, in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool)
In early May, the State Department classified Griner as wrongfully detained without explanation and began working to negotiate her release.
Whelan, a former Marine, is currently serving a 16-year sentence for espionage charges that he has consistently denied and that the State Department has described as bogus.
Blinken’s public acknowledgement of an offer for Griner and Whelan reflects the mounting pressure on the administration to get both home. The U.S.’s inability to secure Griner’s release, in particular, has drawn criticism from celebrities of all kinds, from LeBron James, to Kim Kardashian, to Kerry Washington, to Amy Schumer.
“One of the things going public does is quiet the critics who say that the administration isn't working on this, that they're not doing enough,” Gilbert said. “This can be a direct response to those criticisms. I think it also tells us very publicly that the administration is committed to getting Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan back and getting them back together.”
While the Biden administration has shielded itself from criticism that it isn't doing enough to help Griner and other detained Americans, the President has also opened himself to new attacks. Some have already argued that Blinken’s news conference needlessly antagonized the Kremlin, jeopardized negotiations for Griner and Whelan and incentivized the kidnapping of Americans traveling abroad in the future.
“Every tinhorn dictator out there is looking at America and how we handle hostage cases and unjust detention cases,” said Jason Poblete, an attorney who has represented U.S. citizens held hostage abroad. “The Secretary of State went on national television and made a spectacle of this. You don’t think they’re thinking, ‘Wait a minute, if we grab ourselves an American, we’ll be able to negotiate with them, exact concessions and who knows what else they will dream up.”
Viktor Bout, center, is led by armed Thai police commandoes as he arrives at the criminal court in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010. The Russian arms dealer who once inspired a Hollywood movie is back in the headlines with speculation around a return to Moscow in a prisoner exchange for WBNA star Brittney Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan. (AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong, File)
The U.S. had good reason to think that the inclusion of Bout in a trade would be enough to tempt Russia. After all, the Kremlin has been trying to get the so-called “Merchant of Death” back ever since the 2008 DEA sting operation that led to his capture in Thailand.
Not only did the Kremlin publicly denounce the charges against Bout, American officials also became aware of underhanded Russian attempts to block his extradition to the U.S., to bribe key witnesses or to buy his freedom.
"Putin and other high-level government officials really tried to move heaven and earth and get him repatriated to Russia," Michael Braun, the DEA’s former chief of operations, told Yahoo Sports.
Added Tom Pasquarello, another former DEA agent: "Everything was on the table to try to free him. I'm telling you, you can't even imagine."
Russia didn’t give up after Bout was extradited to the U.S. and convicted of conspiring to kill Americans and sell weapons to terrorists. Russian state media has repeatedly floated potential prisoner trades for Bout while he is serving a 25-year sentence in Illinois.
Experts who spoke to Yahoo Sports in May agreed that securing Bout’s release is a priority for Russia because of his high-level government and military intelligence connections. They said that Bout operated with state protection throughout his arms trafficking career and that he often served the government’s foreign policy interests once Vladimir Putin rose to power and reconsolidated Russia’s fractured intelligence services.
“He is affiliated with Russia’s security services,” Pomeranz said. “Security services like to get their people back. This is the most prominent Russian in U.S. custody, so we assume that this is where the deal can be made.”
If a deal swapping Griner and Whelan for Bout can still be done, it likely will be on Russia’s terms and timetable.
Said Gilbert: “The White House has come out and said, ‘We’re not dragging our feet here. We tried to resolve this.’ Now the ball is in Russia’s court.”
The suit, branded a "ludicrous" money grab by Dylan's lawyers, claimed the singer-songwriter abused a 12-year-old girl in New York in 1965
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2022-07-29T03:34:15Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Experts say U.S.’s ‘substantial proposal’ may not be enough to bring Brittney Griner home
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The Baltimore Ravens kicked off training camp on Wednesday, with veterans reporting to camp on Tuesday with rookies reporting a few days prior. The team is looking to bounce back from an 8-9 season in which they suffered though a six-game losing streak to end the year, missing the playoffs in the process.
Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh spoke to the media after the second day of training camp, answering many different questions, When Harbaugh was asked about rookie tight end Isaiah Likely, he praised the former Coastal Carolina star, talking about his catch radius and the amount of plays he’s made.
"@DaGorilla4 has made a lot of plays." pic.twitter.com/tTErNAIc0w
Likely has the potential to be one of the players that makes a massive impact on the Ravens offense in 2022. He can line up all over the field while providing a mismatch nightmare for defenders in multiple different spots on the field. He is a do-it-all player, and someone that Harbaugh, offensive coordinator Greg Roman and the rest of Baltimore’s offensive coaching staff can look to maximize in a multitude of different ways.
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2022-07-29T04:13:42Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Ravens HC John Harbaugh praises TE Isaiah Likely
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The UNC-Duke rivalry is considered among the best in collegiate sports, featuring a rich history of two programs that just don’t like each other. Even the casual sports fan knows the rivalry and what’s at stake when the two sides meet on the basketball court.
But on Thursday night’s episode of Jeopardy, one contestant had a cringe-worthy answer that has UNC and Duke fans talking.
The answer to the category question “Call yourself a fan” was “The ‘Cameron Crazies’ are students who show their undying support for this University’s Blue Devils Basketball Team.” Easy to get the question, right?
Well, for most of us yes but this contestant buzzed in and answered “What is UNC?”. WRONG! Check out the clip that is going viral below:
Look, we will give her the benefit of the doubt and MAYBE she just had UNC on her mind after the Tar Heels won the final two meetings between these two teams including at Duke and in the Final Four.
Either way, both sides of the rivalry can have a good laugh here before things get serious again in a few months.
SEC Unfiltered: The case for Kentucky football ahead of Tennessee in SEC East
Despite Tennessee beating Kentucky last season, the Vols finished third in the SEC East, one game behind Kentucky. The scenario could play out again.
The men's and women's basketball teams are set to take on North Carolina in the inaugural Jumpman Invitational.
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2022-07-29T04:48:11Z
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Jeopardy contestant makes crucial mistake with UNC-Duke rivalry
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The Baltimore Ravens have built up a very solid roster for the 2022 season that has a ton of depth. They’ve made multiple solid free agent additions while also bringing in an 11-player draft class, revamping many different positions in the process.
When listing out one player that every NFL team should offer in a trade before the start of the 2022 season, Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report named safety Chuck Clark as his choice for the Ravens. When explaining why, he first talked about the team’s new additions at the position in Marcus Williams and rookie Kyle Hamilton, saying that Clark’s role on the Baltimore defense has changed.
“With those two in tow, Chuck Clark’s status with the Ravens defense changes. Granted, the Ravens don’t plan to trade Clark. But it’s a mistake not to at least entertain the possibility…Clearly, Clark will be the team’s third safety, and he has one year remaining on his contract beyond this season. At 27 years old, his trade value won’t get much higher than it is right now.”
Sobleski names the Atlanta Falcons as a destination that could use a player like Clark, saying that the fit is “perfect”.
“The Atlanta Falcons, meanwhile, must add long-term building blocks as they reset their roster. The fit in this particular case is perfect, since the Ravens originally drafted Clark to play in Dean Pees’ defensive scheme. Pees now serves as the Falcons defensive coordinator.”
There have been rumblings about what Clark’s status with the team is at this point, but he appears ready to suit up for the Ravens and embrace whatever role he has. He will still get plenty of playing time even with the additions of Williams and Hamilton, and having three talented safeties to deploy all over the field is a major asset for new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.
Adam Zimmer returns to role with Cincinnati Bengals, this time as offensive consultant
Who are the best players in the Pac-12 going into the 2022 college football season? They're highlighted in the CFN 2022 Preseason All-Pac-12 team and top 30 players.
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2022-07-29T05:44:41Z
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Bleacher Report names one player Ravens should offer in trade before start of 2022 season
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"We had several teams that had interest in Tyler," said Reds General Manager Nick Krall, who began his press conference by thanking Naquin for his contributions to the club. "This was what we felt was the best deal for him and we felt we added two quality players to our pipeline."
Naquin, who homered in Thursday's 7-6 loss to the Miami Marlins, is a free agent at the end of the season, which made him a clear trade candidate. He was hitting .246 with seven homers, 12 doubles and 33 RBI in 56 games.
"I’ve said this before, we have to build through our player pipeline," Krall said. "For us, we have to make sure we’re continuously stocking that player pipeline. Having conversations about those players doesn’t mean we’re going to trade them. Doesn’t mean we’re not going to trade them. We’re working right now to figure out how we can do the best we can to build us for long-term and sustainable success."
Juan Soto: Nationals GM is in talks with 'several teams' about deal
"He added 3 mph to his fastball from last year to this year," said Krall, noting his fastball, slider and changeup all grade as above-average. "You can see him developing and growing. He’s 19 years old. He’s got a chance to be a legitimate Major League starting pitcher."
Rodriguez is hitting .356 between with four doubles, four triples, three homers and 16 RBI in 26 games, which includes two games at Low-A. The 5-foot-8, 186-pound Rodriguez, from the Dominican Republic, has stolen 12 bases in 15 attempts, and he's drawn six walks to nine strikeouts.
"We had conversations about some upper-level guys as well, but taking the upside with both of these players," Krall said. "With Héctor Rodriguez having a chance to be a center fielder, a chance to have a quality hit tool, that can run, you just don’t get those players at the upper levels. They become premium prospects for teams to trade. Acuña is the same way.
"Those are harder to get as you climb up the levels. Maybe you would’ve got one of those instead of both, but we felt that it was the right thing for us in this organization to take a shot on two guys at the lower levels."
Trade talks have intensified over the last several weeks, Krall said, with conversations picking up right before the start of this month's MLB Draft.
A 31-year-old right fielder, Naquin missed a month this year with a hamstring strain. He's owed about $1.6 million for the remainder of the season.
A report recently claimed that Drake’s private jet had emitted five tons of CO2 between June and July, which is more than the average annual global emissions of one person.View Entire Post ›
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2022-07-29T09:19:12Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Cincinnati Reds trade outfielder Tyler Naquin to New York Mets for two minor leaguers
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https://sports.yahoo.com/cincinnati-reds-trade-outfielder-tyler-022910805.html?src=rss
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Former NFL players Jahri Evans and Ty Warren will serve as coaching interns for the Saints during training camp, head coach Dennis Allen announced Thursday. Evans played 11 seasons with the Saints, and Warren was a freshman at Texas A&M in 1999 while Allen was on the coaching staff as a graduate assistant. The former [more]
So much has changed with this UM football program - the quality of the coaching staff, the degree of discipline, the way tackling is taught, the painstaking attention paid to correcting every single mistake on the practice field.
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2022-07-29T09:19:19Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Former NFL player Kevin Ware indicted for murder
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https://sports.yahoo.com/former-nfl-player-kevin-ware-084418358.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/former-nfl-player-kevin-ware-084418358.html?src=rss
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The Pro Football Hall of Fame has announced their finalists for their Seniors and the Coaches and Contributors categories and one former Ohio State football legend has made the list. Former all-world linebacker Randy Gradishar is a finalist for the Seniors category.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame only selects 12 nominees in each category and even being mentioned is an honor that I could only dream of, but at this point, it is a borderline slap in the face to such a legend like Gradishar. The former Denver Broncos linebacker was twice named first-team All-Pro and was named to the Pro Bowl roster seven times.
Gradishar has been named a Hall of Fame finalist twice in the modern-era category and was previously named a senior candidate in 2020. Gradishar is synonymous with the Orange Crush defense and it is a shame he isn’t in the Hall of Fame.
We’ll keep an eye on how things progress and if Gradishar can make the cut as things progress further.
All former Ohio State players, coaches, personalities in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Ohio State football G.O.A.T offensive lineman - Buckeyes Wire
Walker, the top-ranked DL in the state on the USA Today Florida Network top 100, DL Derrick LeBlanc and CB Ja'Keem Jackson all announced Thursday.
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2022-07-29T10:52:00Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Ohio State football legend named Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist
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https://sports.yahoo.com/ohio-state-football-legend-named-194306295.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/ohio-state-football-legend-named-194306295.html?src=rss
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Dan Campbell played the final three seasons of his lengthy NFL career as a Detroit Lion. Those three years, 2006 through 2008, coincide with the darkest time in the franchise’s less-than-stellar history.
Campbell, now the Lions head coach, knows full well the “same old Lions” saying. The derisive “SOL” is a yoke around the franchise that many fans and certain media use all the time to explain why the Lions will never find success.
But Campbell sees the SOL as a recruiting tool. And it worked on him as a player nearly 20 years ago.
“Yes, I knew (about SOL) when I signed here as a player. For me, it was one of the reasons I wanted to sign here because man, who doesn’t want to come here and change that, to be part of that team that turns it around?”, Campbell said before Thursday’s practice.
Coach Campbell continued,
“I think that’s a motivating factor, and so I think for all of us coaches and players. But yeah, I think it’s a motivating factor. We can go round and round on this. You guys have lived it. Once you’ve gone through a great suffering if you will, as it pertains to sports and Lions football, then that’s when there’s a great triumph. And to be a part of that, to be able to help it become that, man that’s something special. I mean, that is special. Yeah, I think that motivates all of us a little bit here.”
It requires a different type of mindset to want to be part of an uprising rather than joining a team that has already had considerable success. Campbell embraces and embodies that mindset and wants players who are cut from that cloth, too.
This is the time to take your folding chair, sunglasses, soft or hard beverage, and settle down for an hour or two of outdoor amusement
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2022-07-29T11:45:18Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Dan Campbell wants players who see ‘same old Lions’ as a reason to come to Detroit
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https://sports.yahoo.com/dan-campbell-wants-players-see-103227462.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/dan-campbell-wants-players-see-103227462.html?src=rss
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A.J. Brown already stepping into mentor role for DeVonta Smith originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
A.J. Brown isn’t that much older than DeVonta Smith. Just 1 year, 4 months and 15 days separate them.
But all that matters in the NFL is experience and Brown has more of it.
Even on Day 1 of training camp, the elder of the Eagles’ top two receivers was eager to pass on his knowledge.
“It means a lot,” Smith said. “We have a lot of young guys so we need somebody that’s been there before that can kind of walk us through it.”
It’s not like Brown is some old man; he just turned 25 less than a month ago. But he has played three NFL seasons, has gone over 1,000 yards twice, has been a Pro Bowler and has scored 25 total touchdowns since the Titans drafted him back in 2019.
The Eagles most veteran receiver last season was Greg Ward, who played just over 20% of their offensive snaps.
So from the day the Eagles traded for him during the draft, Brown became their most accomplished NFL receiver.
During the offseason, the 23-year-old Smith agreed that he would benefit from having a veteran receiver as a teammate. General manager Howie Roseman delivered, trading a first-round pick for Brown and then signing him to a four-year, $100 million extension.
Brown had a preexisting relationship with starting quarterback Jalen Hurts. The two have been best friends since a college recruiting visit and always dreamed about playing with one another. On Wednesday, before their first practice at 10 a.m., Hurts and Brown showed up to the NovaCare Complex at 6:30 to get some extra work in.
When asked about those early morning sessions, Hurts said he and Brown are wired similarly. But then he also said Smith joins them quite a bit too. Smith is getting to know his new mentor quite well.
“He’s a lead by example guy,” Smith said about Brown. “Doesn’t talk much but you just watch him and he’s always doing the right thing.”
Brown does, however, talk during practice. We even saw it on Day 1.
Between reps and even during them, Brown was seen talking to Smith, giving him tips and walking him through the different ways to run routes and gain separation. Based on his track record, Brown is the Eagles’ No. 1 receiver but this spring he said he considers Smith a true No. 1 too. With Brown’s help, Smith can get there even quicker.
“I’m just trying to help, to be honest,” Brown said. “Because the ball’s not going to go to me every play and he got to do a job too, just like I do. If I can help him any way I can, I’m going to do that.”
It’s not a one-way street either. Smith had a successful rookie season and was a first-round pick and a Heisman Trophy winner for a reason.
“I would like the same thing from him too,” Brown said. “If he sees something that can help me, I think he would tell me the same thing too. It’s just a little thing as a wide receiver I want to share and help him out. That’s all.”
Last season, the Eagles has the 25th-ranked passing offense in the NFL and that will need to improve in 2022. A lot of that will be on Hurts as he enters his second year as the Eagles’ starter, but having Brown on the team will definitely help.
The Eagles went into every game last season trying to get the ball to Smith and tight end Dallas Goedert. Just the presence of Brown alone ought to help Smith, who won’t have to go against No. 1 corners week in and week out.
“It just depends who we’re playing,” Smith said. “You never know what their game plan may be.”
All we know is that it’s going to be tougher to defend the Eagles’ passing game in 2022. Brown makes that true in multiple ways.
Three men initially arraigned on murder and felonious assault charges in connection with the death of 17-year-old Ethan Liming were indicted on lesser charges of assault and involuntary manslaughter.
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2022-07-29T11:45:30Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Eagles training camp 2022: A.J. Brown already teaching DeVonta Smith
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https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-training-camp-2022-j-110000150.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-training-camp-2022-j-110000150.html?src=rss
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In the last 15 months alone, quarterbacks have signed deals that have seen the guaranteed figures steadily rise to astronomical heights, from Dak Prescott's $126 million to Josh Allen's $150 million, then Aaron Rodgers' $150.8 million and Deshaun Watson's record-setting $230 million fully guaranteed in March. Kyler Murray's $160 million guaranteed via his deal last week settled in at No. 2 on the list.
He danced when asked if he seeks a fully guaranteed deal like Watson’s. But it would make sense for Jackson, who has been nothing but a model citizen and ambassador for the Ravens franchise and the NFL, to figure, "If Watson can command that kind of money while embroiled in legal woes, why can’t I?"
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2022-07-29T11:45:37Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Lamar Jackson is backing Ravens into a corner in the most respectful way possible | Opinion
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https://sports.yahoo.com/lamar-jackson-backing-ravens-corner-100758797.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/lamar-jackson-backing-ravens-corner-100758797.html?src=rss
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The Biggest Party of the Summer is just about here. WWE SummerSlam 2022 is set get get underway in just a few couple of days on Peacock and, as we alluded to in this week's Superstar Power Rankings, it could very well be the most unpredictable SummerSlam of all time due to the company's recent change in creative leadership from Vince McMahon to Triple H.
But we're going to give it our best shot here at NBC Sports EDGE to pick the correct winner for every single matchup on the card. In addition, we've got all the info and details on the show you'll need from how to watch, start time, date, location, match card and more.
Will Roman Reigns put Brock Lesnar down once and for all? Can Bianca Belair find redemption from SummerSlam 2021 against Becky Lynch? Will Theory play spoiler? And what can we expect from the high profile matches featuring Logan Paul and Pat McAfee? Let's peer into the crystal ball and try to find out.
These two powerhouses have met five times over the years, with Lesnar winning the first two matchups and Reigns bouncing back to win the last three. SummerSlam will be the 699th day of Roman Reigns' latest championship reign. "The Beast" is determined to make sure it doesn't reach 700 days. It was widely reported that Lesnar was none too happy with the news that Vince McMahon was leaving WWE and even briefly left SmackDown last Friday. But he was back by the end of the episode, laying out Mr. Money in the Bank Theory, and it looks like it's all systems go for this colossal clash on Saturday night. Having won three straight head-to-head matchups, and having the Bloodline and Paul Heyman by his side, it would appear Reigns has all the momentum going his way. But you can never count Lesnar out.
Then again, will the winner of the match even make it out of Nashville as the champion? Ever since capturing the Money in the Bank briefcase, Theory has been teasing that he'll be cashing in at SummerSlam. And who could blame him? With this being a Last Man Standing Match, odds are both participants will be in rough shape by the time the bell rings.
But is Theory really ready to be the champion? It was originally thought that Theory may be facing the legendary John Cena at the summer's biggest party, but that never came to fruition as Cena is in the middle of filming the second season of The Peacemaker. But could Cena find enough time to fly into Nashville and play spoiler to a Money in the Bank cash-in?
The official prediction here is that Reigns will slay "The Beast" once more, hopefully ending this feud for good. But I also predict that Theory will cash in the briefcase only for John Cena to cost him the championship and set up a slow burn to a match at WrestleMania in Hollywood, where Cena's star continues to rise. – Ed Williams
Liv Morgan (c) vs. Ronda Rousey (SmackDown Women's Championship Match)
Liv Morgan shocked the world earlier this month at Money in the Bank when she wasted no time in cashing in her briefcase and defeating a hobbled Ronda Rousey to win her first championship ever in WWE. The crowd popped huge for Liv winning the briefcase, popped even harder when she won the Championship and the cheers have yet to die down since. In fact, it's been reported that her merchandise has been one of the company's best-sellers since winning the title.
While it's hard to believe that Morgan would beat Rousey in two straight matchups, a loss here could also be a huge blow to a young Superstar just starting to gain some momentum. On the flipside, it seems unfathomable that Rousey would lose two matches in a row, let alone both to an unproven up and comer like Morgan. So it's an interesting puzzle that the new creative team will have to figure out here.
Let's not forget who Rousey beat to become champion in the first place – Charlotte Flair. The Queen has been out of sight and out of mind ever since their I Quit Match at WrestleMania Backlash, but the honeymoon is over (literally, as she recently married AEW's Andrade El Idolo) for Charlotte and now would be the perfect time for her to make a return and continue to be a thorn in the side of Rousey. Neither Charlotte nor Rousey need the gold in order to stay in the spotlight, so this could be the perfect way to re-ignite that rivalry. Plus, we already know she'll be in Nashville the following day for Ric Flair's Last Match, so it's certainly no stretch to think she'll be in town a day early.
In the end, I just don't think it makes any sense whatsoever to stop Liv dead in her tracks. I think Morgan retains the championship – the official prediction will be that the match ends in a double disqualification as a returning Charlotte looks for Vengeance against Rousey. And hopefully Morgan can move on to a fresh program and continue to establish herself as a credible champion. – Ed Williams
As I alluded to in this week's rankings, all signs from traditional WWE creative point towards a big night for Theory, including a United States Championship win against Bobby Lashley here. But we're in the start of a new era and I think what we're seeing could be the signs of a long-term story for Theory. His ego was at an all-time high after winning at Money in the Bank, but it seems the next chapter has been to humble the Superstar. To give him a more focused and calculated edge that will allow him to take that next step to be on level with the likes of Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, Seth "Freakin'" Rollins, Drew McIntyre and his SummerSalm opponent Bobby Lashley.
The Usos and The Street Profits had a classic bout with a questionable finish at Money in the Bank earlier this month, so it only makes sense that they want to run it back with another banger. WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett was selected as the special guest referee for the rematch, which might seem odd out of context, but his deep ties to Nashville should make him well-received. It's a nice gesture, but Jarrett shouldn't have much influence on the ending either way.
There's always the chance The Street Profits surprise, but with the whispers of a singles' push for Montez Ford, odds are The Usos' reign won't end this way. – D.J. Short
Former teammates during their respective stints with the Colts, Corbin and McAfee have brought some impressive physicality into the buildup to their SummerSlam showdown. It doesn't seem contrived or forced at all, which is a credit to both of them as performers. Corbin is a master heel and McAfee has proven to be surprisingly competent in his previous chances in the ring, so this has all the makings of one of the most entertaining matches on the card.
All of that being said, it would be shocking if McAfee didn't walk away victorious. Corbin doesn't need the win and he should do his part to make the popular announcer look like a million bucks. – D.J. Short
Bianca Belair (c) vs. Becky Lynch (Raw Women's Championship Match)
This is a tough one to call. Bianca Belair has been fantastic as Raw Women's Champion and is arguably the best all-around female wrestler in the world. The only problem is that she's facing probably the one woman you could argue is as good if not better in Becky Lynch. Their rivalry has gone back and forth, and another heel run as champ would be a lot of fun with "Big Time Becks."
But I can't see/don't want to see Bianca on losing a championship she won at WrestleMania at the ensuing SummerSlam two years in a row, even if this time it doesn't happen in 11 seconds. She showed in April that she can overcome Lynch when she's prepared and I'll double down on her to win here as well in what will surely be a fantastic bout. – Mike Murphy
While there has been some evidence that Logan Paul has helped a bit with ratings and definitely with YouTube views, it's hard to say the build for this program has been an exciting one. After The Miz turned on the host of The Impaulsive Podcast following their WrestleMania victory over The Mysterios, we knew it was just a matter of time before the social media sensation would be back. It was somewhat surprising, however, to see Paul sign a three-year contract with WWE earlier this month.
It's been borderline painful to see the size of The Miz's, uhm, marbles, become such a focal point of this feud, but hopefully that will start to subside now that there is a new head of creative. In fact, the best part of the build for this match was probably Ciampa's promo on Raw Talk on Monday.
That aside, after being left laying at WrestleMania and fresh off signing that contract, there's no way The Miz can walk out of SummerSlam with a win. It will be interesting to see what Logan Paul does next, but hopefully a win here can allow him to move on to a fresh program. The official prediction is a clean win for Logan Paul. – Ed Williams
This is a must-win situation for The Judgment Day. They've been floundering a bit due to this storyline with The Mysterios, Rhea Ripley's injury and having jettisoned Edge from the group as their leader. But a big win at SummerSlam after Ripley's return can get them on the right track, and Rey doesn't need the win at this stage of his career.
"But what about Dominik?" I hear you asking. What if I told you that they can make him look good as well by evolving him from "son of Hall of Famer who's just happy to be here" to "vindictive and slighted heel out to prove he's more than just daddy's boy"? That's right. I think Dominik turns on his father here and does what's been alluded to for the last month: voluntarily and happily joining The Judgment Day.
Bring back Edge, pair him with old rival Rey to take on the faction and we turn one of the most disinteresting angles in WWE to one of it's most exciting. – Mike Murphy
While people in St. Louis were still recovering from devastating floods just days before, intense thunderstorms struck the area with even more rain on July 28.
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2022-07-29T13:12:45Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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WWE SummerSlam 2022 Predictions
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https://sports.yahoo.com/wwe-summerslam-2022-predictions-231209796.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/wwe-summerslam-2022-predictions-231209796.html?src=rss
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The Kansas City Chiefs led the AFC championship game 21-10 and were at the 1-yard line with nine seconds left in the first half.
We can't be sure what would have happened if the Chiefs would have punched it in for a touchdown, or even if they settled for a field goal, but they probably would have beaten the Cincinnati Bengals and moved on to a third straight Super Bowl. Odds don't predict what will happen, but sportsbooks had the Chiefs as a small projected favorite had they met the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl.
There was zero reason, at that first-and-goal moment, to believe in anything but a Chiefs dynasty.
Then Patrick Mahomes threw a first-down pass away, and an ill-advised swing pass to Tyreek Hill was tackled short of the goal line. Time ran out in the first half. The Bengals grabbed some momentum and came all the way back to win in overtime. The Chiefs had a chance to score a go-ahead touchdown in the final two minutes of regulation and couldn't get in the end zone. It was a stunning result, mostly because the Mahomes-era Chiefs haven't had many bad moments.
The Chiefs dynasty wasn't necessarily derailed or even stalled due to those two plays from the 1-yard line. But it was a setback, and this offseason wasn't great.
Kansas City decided it wouldn't pay Hill and would move on instead. The Chiefs traded Hill to the Miami Dolphins, leaving them without a No. 1 receiver anywhere near Hill's talent level. Hill is a top-five NFL receiver and was a perfect fit for Mahomes. A lot of the passing game will be on the shoulders of 32-year-old tight end Travis Kelce. Meanwhile, there was an arms race in the rest of the AFC West. Even if you're picking the Chiefs to win the division again, the gap has undeniably closed.
There are plenty of teams that looked like they'd win for many, many years — some with great quarterbacks — and they never make it back to a Super Bowl after their first couple. It could be Dan Marino's Miami Dolphins, Brett Favre's Green Bay Packers, Kurt Warner's St. Louis Rams, Drew Brees' New Orleans Saints, Aaron Rodgers' Packers, Russell Wilson's Seattle Seahawks ... sometimes budding dynasties end way before we think they will. The NFL is competitive. Nothing is ever guaranteed.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been to the AFC championship game four seasons in a row. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
This season seems like a bit of an intersection for the Chiefs. Mahomes is 26. He should be great for another decade or more. But each quarterback listed above was great too, often for many years. It doesn't mean the Chiefs will ever get back to a Super Bowl with Mahomes, no matter how incredible Mahomes will continue to be.
Then again, if the Chiefs can lose one of the few game-changing receivers in the NFL and still hold off the rest of the AFC West, one of the toughest divisions we've seen, maybe nothing will stop them. Perhaps all they need is Mahomes and Andy Reid, and nothing else matters much.
"We've got to keep rolling, that's how it is in this league," Mahomes said, via NFL.com. "It's a business as much as it is about your friendships and stuff like that. We know that to keep having success in this league, we have to keep evolving, keep getting better."
Aside from Hill, the Chiefs won't be that much different. Tyrann Mathieu left in free agency, but Justin Reid is a capable replacement. Cornerback Charvarius Ward got a huge contract from the San Francisco 49ers, but Kansas City drafted Trent McDuffie with the first of their two first-round picks. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, JuJu Smith-Schuster and rookie Skyy Moore were brought in to help offset the loss of Hill. The offensive line is still very good. The defense can be good enough, like it has been.
This season is a test for the Chiefs. There doesn't seem to be much worry in Kansas City. If the rest of the AFC West can't catch the Chiefs this season, it might be a while before anyone does.
We can argue if the Chiefs should have traded Tyreek Hill when they're in a Super Bowl window, but they maximized the return: first-, second-, fourth-rounders in 2022, fourth- and sixth-rounders in 2023. That's a lot. The Chiefs signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling and JuJu Smith-Schuster, and the differences in contracts are worth noting. MVS got $30 million over three years and Smith-Schuster got $3.25 million over one year. Keep that in mind when you project how they'll be used. The Chiefs also drafted receiver Skyy Moore in the second round. They'll try to replace Hill with multiple options. Tyrann Mathieu left in free agency and was replaced by Justin Reid. Reid is a good player but we'll see if the Chiefs miss Mathieu's tremendous leadership; Reid is a standout leader too, so perhaps it'll be fine. Running back Ronald Jones was added on a low-risk deal and can be part of a committee. The Chiefs lost cornerback Charvarius Ward to the 49ers on a three-year, $40.5 million deal, which shows his value. Kansas City's draft, with the extra picks from the Hill trade, was good. The Chiefs got five players in the first 103 picks: cornerback Trent McDuffie and edge defender George Karlaftis in the first, receiver Skyy Moore in the second, and safety Bryan Cook and linebacker Leo Chenal in the third. That's a lot of punch to add to the defense, while also adding an interesting receiver for Patrick Mahomes. I don't agree with trading Hill while chasing a Super Bowl, but it's understandable and the Chiefs should do plenty with the picks they obtained.
Patrick Mahomes is an unbelievable player, but 2021 was his toughest season. Mahomes had 13 interceptions, a career high. He threw 11 picks in 2019 and 2020 combined. His 284.6 passing yards and 7.4 yards per attempt were career lows as a starter. After not posting a passer rating lower than 105.3 in his first three seasons as a starter, Mahomes' rating was 98.5 last season. Then in the second half of the AFC championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals, he was clearly pressing and not his normal self. He was still great last season, just not as great as we're used to. Teams forced the Chiefs to take underneath throws and it sometimes led to impatience from Mahomes, particularly in the first half of the season. And then Mahomes lost one of the best wide receivers in the NFL this offseason. It's not like anyone should be questioning Mahomes, but 2021 was the first time we've seen him look somewhat mortal as an NFL starter.
The betting market isn't down on the Chiefs. They have BetMGM's third-best Super Bowl odds at +900. They're still favored to win the AFC West, at +155 odds. Patrick Mahomes' +800 MVP odds are tied for second-best. The Chiefs' win total is 10.5. If you want to bet on the Chiefs, fading the offseason hype surrounding the other AFC West teams, I wouldn't blame you. There's just a little more skepticism than the past couple seasons, and you're not getting that much value in the betting market on the Chiefs.
From Yahoo's Scott Pianowski: "It can be tricky to evaluate receivers joining new teams, but at least JuJu Smith-Schuster offers plausible upside. He doesn’t turn 26 until late November, and his frustrating last three years can be partially explained by injury and the decline of Ben Roethlisberger.
"A healthy JuJu can likely reclaim some of his juju in Kansas City, tied to Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes and motivated by a one-year, prove-it contract. Fantasy managers don’t have to pay a prohibitive price, as Smith-Schuster is outside the Top 70 in both Yahoo and NFFC ADP. See if you can land him as your third or fourth receiver."
Zach Ertz set the record for most targets in a season by a tight end, with 156 in 2018 according to StatMuse. Travis Kelce should smash that record if his health cooperates. Kelce has had seasons with 145 and 150 targets, and that was with Tyreek Hill around. Kelce should get targeted like an elite wide receiver this season. Kelce was very good in 2021, with 1,125 yards and a great postseason. However, it was a decline from his 1,416-yard 2020 season. There should be some concern, considering Kelce will turn 33 years old in October. Only two tight ends have surpassed 867 yards in their age-33 or older season. Pete Retzlaff had 1,190 yards for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1965 and Tony Gonzalez had 930 yards for the 2012 Atlanta Falcons. You wouldn't look at Kelce's postseason film and say he's close to a big decline, but history isn't on his side.
Can a young defense take strides?
The Chiefs don't have a lot of recognizable names on defense. Not yet, anyway. Chris Jones is a fantastic defensive lineman, but the rest of the defense will have a lot of young players. That might not be a bad thing. Kansas City's defense finished 24th in Football Outsiders' DVOA last season. They ranked 26th in net yards per pass allowed and 31st in yards per run allowed. Joe Burrow torched the Chiefs for 448 yards and four touchdowns late in the regular season. The Chiefs have great memories of the historic divisional round playoff win over the Buffalo Bills, but that game was so exciting partially because the Chiefs defense could not get a stop. There were a few games in which the Chiefs didn't have any answers. It was not a good defense. That's why some new blood might help. Kansas City drafted seven defensive players. First-round picks Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis should start right away at cornerback and defensive end. Safety Bryan Cook, linebacker Leo Chenal and one or more of the three cornerbacks the Chiefs drafted should push for playing time. If the Chiefs offense isn't quite the same, they're going to need the defense to be better than it was last season.
Plenty of quarterbacks through the years have lifted no-name receivers into stardom, and Patrick Mahomes is at the highest level of quarterback play. We've seen so many big plays between Mahomes and Tyreek Hill that it's hard to believe losing Hill won't impact the Chiefs' offense, but it's also possible Mahomes turns Hill's replacements into stars. The Chiefs' worst finish in four seasons with Mahomes as starting QB is an overtime loss in the AFC championship game (they've done that twice). It's fun to talk about the Denver Broncos or Los Angeles Chargers, but the Chiefs have won six AFC West titles in a row for good reason. If the rookies on defense contribute right away, maybe that side of the ball improves too. Everyone who will pick against the Chiefs in the AFC West (yeah, that includes me) might look stupid by January, when the Chiefs are the No. 1 seed in the AFC on their way to another Super Bowl.
Even great quarterbacks need some help. Travis Kelce is at an age in which he might not have another great season left. If he slips, who else do you trust? JuJu Smith-Schuster's career has stalled, Marquez Valdes-Scantling was an inconsistent deep threat for Aaron Rodgers, Skyy Moore is taking a big step in competition from Western Michigan and Mecole Hardman hasn't shown he can be an above-average starter. The Chiefs defense usually does a good job preventing points and it has been competent enough to do its part around an explosive offense, but what happens if that offense isn't great this season? The competition in the AFC West is legit, and the Chiefs aren't guaranteed to win the division again. There will be a lot of competition for wild-card spots too, in a deep AFC. Will the Chiefs miss the playoffs? I doubt it. But it's not impossible.
Already, the Chiefs are an anomaly. You're not supposed to make four conference championship games in a row (including two Super Bowl trips) in the NFL. The league is set up to prevent that from happening. On one hand, the Chiefs' run can't continue for decades. Only the Tom Brady-era New England Patriots could pull that off. However, the Chiefs have a special quarterback and a future Hall-of-Fame coach. That can take you a long way. If the Chiefs don't win a loaded AFC West, it wouldn't mean the end of this budding dynasty. But I do think either the Broncos or Chargers (I prefer the Chargers) take the division this season while Kansas City retools a bit on offense. Kansas City will make the playoffs and it wouldn't surprise anyone if they're back in the AFC title game, even from a wild-card spot. It might just be a little bit of a down season, by modern Chiefs standards.
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2022-07-29T13:42:59Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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2022 NFL Preview: We're about to find out if the Chiefs are a long-lasting dynasty
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https://sports.yahoo.com/2022-nfl-preview-were-about-to-find-out-if-the-chiefs-are-a-long-lasting-dynasty-132458918.html?src=rss
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The Indianapolis Colts were back on the field Thursday for Day 2 of training camp at the Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield.
Unlike the first day of training camp, the Colts were able to stay outside. The Colts reportedly had the largest crowd in attendance since 2018.
Before practice started, defensive tackle Eric Johnson II was removed from the Non-Football Injury list after he dealt with a slight back injury entering camp.
Here’s a look at seven takeaways from Day 2 of Colts training camp:
LB Shaquille Leonard (back) and WR Mike Strachan (knee) remain on the PUP list.
DT Chris Williams (undisclosed) was a non-participant on Thursday.
DL Tyquan Lewis (knee) returned to practice.
Matt Ryan pushing the pace
The Colts have had two practices thus far scheduled for an hour and a half each. They want to get through a certain number of plays before that time limit is up. To begin training camp, they’ve ended practice early by 10 minutes each time.
This is mostly due to the tempo that Ryan has been pushing throughout camp. The intensity from Ryan has rubbed off on the rest of the team, and it’s clear that head coach Frank Reich has been impressed with this development.
“The league has really encouraged this ramp-up period. Today was really scheduled for an hour and a half. Yesterday was scheduled for an hour and twenty. Both days went ten minutes shorter,” Reich said Thursday. “We had the same number of plays like we had in the past, but we actually finished ten minutes earlier both days with the same number of plays we’ve had in previous years, and that’s because of the quarterback. That’s because the quarterback is pushing the tempo.”
Getting Ryan going in the offense is crucial to get off to a hot start to begin the season, but it seems he has no issue transitioning into the unit thus far.
Matt Pryor is the clear starter
To begin camp, there isn’t much of a debate about who the starting left tackle is. Through the first two practices, Pryor has been taking every rep at left tackle with the first team while rookie Bernhard Raimann rotates behind him.
It’s difficult for the Colts to truly evaluate the competition at left tackle until the pads come on, but Pryor has been working as the starter exclusively throughout camp.
Mo Alie-Cox getting involved
As Matt Ryan continues to work in the offense, it has been clear that he’s going to spread the ball around. However, one of his favorite targets to begin camp has been tight end Mo Alie-Cox.
Taking over as the starter following Jack Doyle’s retirement during the offseason, Alie-Cox has led the team in receptions through the first two practices. It’s still incredibly early and a very small sample size, but Alie-Cox is staying involved.
He had a nice highlight play Thursday by taking a crossing route for about 20 yards, according to Jake Arthur of Horseshoe Huddle.
DeForest Buckner dealign with small back injury
It doesn’t really seem to be a concerning issue because Buckner is still practicing. However, the former All-Pro defensive tackle has been limited to begin training camp due to a slight back injury. Reich told the media Thursday that they’ve been limiting his reps as a precaution.
An up and down day for Alec Pierce
It’s no secret that the Colts want Alec Pierce to take a hold of a starting role in the offense and, for the most part, he’s been impressive. But it was a bit of a down day for the rookie wideout on Thursday as he dealt with some concentration drops.
According to Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star, Pierce had some solid bouts with former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore. He beat Gilmore off the line only for the latter to close the gap and swat the pass away.
Later, Pierce foiled an opportunity to make a big play. Here’s what Erickson had to say:
Five minutes later, Pierce got wide open behind the secondary, and Foles put a perfect ball into his hands, but the rookie dropped it with defensive backs closing in on him.”
This isn’t a reason to be concerned. The fact that he’s getting consistent separation is actually a good thing. But it doesn’t mean much if he can’t bring the ball in. Pierce has been impressive so far through his early career so it will be vital to see how he responds to a day like this.
Gus Bradley giving everyone a shot
As the Colts defense gets ready to learn the new scheme under Gus Bradley, it has become clear that the unit is giving everyone an opportunity to compete for a role in some way.
According to Jake Arthur of Horseshoe Huddle, there has been a lot of rotating around.
“With new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley coming in and installing his scheme, it appears they truly are giving all players a chance to prove themselves. All three of the first, second, and third units continued to be rotated on Thursday. If you’re on the defensive roster, you probably saw action with a little bit of everyone again on Thursday.”
The Colts have harped on having enough depth to rotate players constantly, and we’ll likely get a better idea of the starting units when the preseason games roll around.
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2022-07-29T13:43:05Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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7 takeaways from Day 2 of Colts training camp
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According to the league’s transaction report on Thursday, the Arizona Cardinals had players at State Farm Stadium for tryouts. Apparently, they are looking for depth on the defensive line.
They hosted three defensive tackles, ultimately signing one.
DL Abdullah Anderson
One of the three defensive tackles they brought in was Abdullah Anderson. Anderson has played for a different team each of the last three seasons. He played in six games for the Chicago Bears in 2019 and had four tackles and a sack.
In 2020, the 6-3, 297-lb DT appeared in one game for the Minnesota Vikings and then, in 2021, he appeared in three games for the Green Bay Packers. He had two tackles.
DL Christian Ringo
DL Antaun Woods
They also brought in Woods, whom they ultimately signed.
Commonwealth Games 2022 LIVE: Triathlon, netball and cycling updates from day one in Birmingham
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2022-07-29T13:43:19Z
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Cardinals bring in 3 D-linemen for tryouts
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Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner has been limited throughout training camp due to a back injury.
While Buckner has still been practicing, there have been longer rest periods for him in between reps. Head coach Frank Reich told the media Thursday that the former All-Pro is dealing with a small back issue.
For now, the team is going to play it safe.
Buckner’s impact on the defensive side of the ball can’t be overstated. Even though he had a bit of a down year in terms of overall production in 2021, he is still the engine of the defense from the three-technique.
With a day off Friday, Buckner will be able to get a bit of rest before the first night practice of training camp on Saturday night.
Former Lions defensive back William White has died after a battle with ALS, the team announced Thursday. He was 56. “I loved William,” Lions special assistant to president/CEO Chris Spielman said in a statement. “We shared experiences of joy and sorrow on and off the field. He was and always will be my brother. I [more]
Nick Cross is the youngest player on the Colts' roster, but he has a lane to a starting role. An interception on Matt Ryan is a strong statement.
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2022-07-29T13:43:31Z
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Colts’ DeForest Buckner dealing with back injury
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Dak Prescott: I plan for this to be the golden year originally appeared on Pro Football Talk
A Wendy's employee has been arrested in Prescott Valley after he allegedly assaulted a customer who complained about his food order.
The Cowboys and tight end Dalton Schultz weren’t able to come to an agreement on a new contract this offseason, but that hasn’t made either side change their mind about getting back together to work something out after the coming season. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said earlier this week that Schultz “represents everything” [more]
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2022-07-29T13:43:38Z
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Dak Prescott: I plan for this to be the golden year
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The wide receiver market in the NFL continues to confoud this offseason. Players are getting contracts that one could say are inflating the market and not very financially sound. The latest contract to confuse and draw attention is the three-year, $72-million extension for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf that includes $58 million in guarantees.
This is a rather unique structure for a second contract and makes me wonder if this is something the Pittsburgh Steelers might want to do with Diontae Johnson. Johnson and Metcalf came into the league via the 2019 NFL draft so they both have three seasons.
Metcalf has 216 catches for 3,170 yards and 29 touchdowns in three seasons and Johnson has 254 cathes, 2,764 yards and 20 touchdowns during the same stretch. Comparable for sure but Johnson’s four fewer yards per catch dings his value.
But beyond the numbers, this just isn’t a move the Steelers front office makes. Way too much guaranteed money for a guy with esentially one good season under his belt. Not to mention, the Steelers added not one but two potential replacements for Johnson in the 2022 NFL draft. Both Calvin Austin III and George Pickens have impressed early in training camp while Johnson stands on the sidelines hoping for a new contract.
More on DK Metcalf and the Seattle Seahawks agreeing to a three-year, $72 million extension, via @BradyHenderson:https://t.co/sZy8C64epL
With training camp just underway, the Seahawks and wide receiver DK Metcalf have agreed on a big new contract. It’s a three-year, $72 million extension with $58.2 million guaranteed, PFT has confirmed. The 24-year-old Metcalf arrived in Seattle as the last pick of the second round of the 2019 NFL draft and has exceeded all [more]
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2022-07-29T13:43:44Z
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Is the DK Metcalf contract something the Steelers should consider for Diontae Johnson?
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This has been the offseason of wide receiver contracts, with many of the top players at the position getting massive raises. Cooper Kupp, of course, is among them, signing a three-year, $80.1 million extension with the Rams. He now gets $110 million over the next five years, making him one of the highest-paid receivers in the NFL.
It was a well-earned raise for Kupp, who won the receiving triple crown, Offensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl MVP last season. But in terms of annual salary, he’s still only fourth at his position because of how many other receivers also got extensions – and bigger ones – this offseason.
Most recently, DK Metcalf agreed to a three-year, $72 million extension with the Seahawks. That will pay him $24 million per year, which is less than the average salary of Kupp’s new deal but still eclipses Kupp’s annual earnings across the five years left on his total contract.
And even when you isolate the new money Kupp got on his extension, his deal lags behind those of Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill. Kupp is making $26.7 million per year on his new three-year contract, slightly less than Adams ($28 million) and significantly less than Hill ($30 million per year.
The 10 largest WR deals of this offseason in terms of maximum value totaled an astounding $𝟖𝟖𝟔.𝟐𝟑𝟒𝐌.
And there may be more to come.
A look at the Top 🔟 so far. pic.twitter.com/OkJWUNB89l
Where Kupp beats out his peers is in guaranteed money. He got $75 million guaranteed (though, not fully guaranteed), which is more than any wide receiver in the NFL. Hill is the next-closest at $72.2 million.
In terms of guaranteed at signing, or fully guaranteed money, Kupp ranks 14th among wide receivers after getting $35 million fully guaranteed. Hill got $52.5 million, the most of any receiver.
Kupp said all along that he wasn’t looking to reset the wide receiver market despite his historic 2021 season. He wanted a contract that was fair for him and fair for the team, which certainly seems to be the case with his extension.
The Rams were wise to reward him and do right by the reliable receiver, and Kupp absolutely could’ve earned more if he were a free agent on the open market. It was really a win-win for both parties.
Commanders defensive end Chase Young is currently on the physically unable to perform list as he continues to recover from last season’s torn ACL and it looks like his stay on that list will be on the longer side. Head coach Ron Rivera was a guest on 106.7 The Fan on Friday morning and Young’s [more]
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2022-07-29T13:43:50Z
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How does Cooper Kupp’s deal compare to DK Metcalf’s and other recent WR contracts?
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The Miami Dolphins signed linebacker Melvin Ingram to a one-year deal worth roughly $4 million after a 2021 season that saw the veteran split time between the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers.
At 33 years old and coming off of a season where he only recorded two sacks, Ingram was itching to get to work in training camp, as he fought with the coaching staff to get work in team drills during the team’s first session.
After their second session on Thursday, Ingram spoke to the media and was asked if he’s entrenched in his new team, and the linebacker displayed some of his patented confidence.
“A thousand percent,” Ingram said. “Man, I’m me – I’m (going to) fit in anywhere. It’s just me, man. I’m different. I’m a special person. So I fit in no matter where I go. I’m going to come in and do whatever they ask me to do, how they want me to do it, when they want me to do it. So I’m going to fit in no matter where I go.”
With his age and production dipping a bit, Ingram was being asked about playing in a rotational role before he cut off the question.
While the sack numbers are down, his pressures are still impressive. According to Pro Football Focus, Ingram created pressure on 11% of his pass-rushing snaps in 2021, which is roughly the same as Emmanuel Ogbah, who finished the season with nine sacks before receiving a large extension.
If Ingram is still creating pressure and forcing quarterbacks to make mistakes, that’s just as important as getting sacks. If he’s doing that, he proves that he’s still him.
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2022-07-29T13:43:57Z
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Dolphins LB Melvin Ingram is just as confident as ever
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Some sad news to report on a former Lions defensive stalwart. Longtime Lions safety William White has passed away from ALS, the team announced.
White was 56.
A fourth-round pick out of Ohio State in the 1988 NFL draft, White played six seasons in Detroit. He started 79 games and was a key piece of Detroit’s defensive heyday under head coach Wayne Fontes. White logged 450 total tackles and 13 INTs, including five in the 1990 season that also included a memorable pick-six.
White would go on to play five more NFL seasons after being traded by the Lions to the Chiefs.
The Lions welcomed White back to Ford Field as part of the Pride of the Lions celebration last season. Coach Dan Campbell said some nice words about White prior to Friday’s practice session.
As someone who has lost a brother-in-law to ALS, my heart goes out to White’s friends and Lions family.
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2022-07-29T13:44:16Z
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Former Lions DB William White has passed away from ALS
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The defensive line was a major strength of the Rams last season, particularly in the playoffs when A’Shawn Robinson turned into a dominant run stopper. Robinson, along with Aaron Donald and Greg Gaines, gave the Rams one of the best defensive fronts in football.
And when you include edge rushers such as Leonard Floyd and Von Miller, it was a front no offense wanted to face. Miller’s departure hurts, of course, but Gaines is confident in the guys the Rams still have.
He believes they’ll have the best defensive line in football this season, which is very possible.
“Honestly, I feel like we’re gonna have the best D-line in the league,” Gaines said this week. “We got some really good, good guys on the D-line. We got Aaron Donald, A’Shawn Robinson, Leonard Floyd and Justin Hollins. It’s gonna be a fun crew. We’re gonna have a really good time out there.”
Gaines’ emergence as the starting nose tackle was a major reason for the Rams’ steady improvement as the year went on. Sebastian Joseph-Day’s injury was believed to be devastating for the Rams, but Gaines stepped up and may have actually been an upgrade – both against the run and as a pass rusher.
He’ll remain in that spot this year with Joseph-Day joining the Chargers in free agency, so not much is changing up front for the Rams. And it’s reasonable to think that Gaines and Robinson will continue to improve in their second seasons as full-time starters in Los Angeles.
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2022-07-29T13:44:22Z
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Greg Gaines believes the Rams will have the best D-line in the NFL this year
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Just two days into training camp, it looks like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have lost one of their best players for the entire 2022 season.
Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen is feared to have suffered a season-ending knee injury, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Jensen was carted off the practice field Thursday, and while the official diagnosis is still pending further tests, early reports are suggesting the Bucs are “preparing for the worst.”
Look for second-year lineman Robert Hainsey to be the leader in the clubhouse to fill his role in the starting lineup, assuming the Bucs don’t look for outside help from a veteran free agent.
MBR's Dennis Fithian is back with another episode of Afternoon Live!Topics discussed include:- Cade McNamara audio 00:00-2:55- Harbaugh on goals 2:56-8:05- Harbaugh on NIL 8:06-13:46- Beating MSU 13:47-19:30- ...
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2022-07-29T13:45:06Z
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Report: Bucs fear season-ending knee injury for Ryan Jensen
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The Indianapolis Colts made a splash move this offseason by trading cornerback Rock Ya-Sin to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for defensive end Yannick Ngakoue.
While Ngakoue has only been with his new team for a few months, his personality is already making an impression. The palpable energy he’s brought to Colts training camp hasn’t gone unnoticed by his head coach.
“He brings an energy, a confidence – proven production year in and year out. This guy’s a playmaker. So that kind of leadership. It’s just been consistent,” Reich told reporters Thursday. “He brings that kind of consistent playmaking ability to us.”
Ngakoue will be on his fifth team since the start of the 2020 season. That kind of movement for players with his kind of production—at least 8.0 sacks every year since 2016—is odd, to say the least.
Now with a new, but familiar team in the Colts, they are embracing his unique personality.
“It’s unique now. He’s got a unique personality, and I like that. We celebrate that around here,” Reich said. “It’s team first, absolutely has to always be team first, but we kind of celebrate the uniqueness of each personality and he’s definitely in that category.”
Ngakoue has made a positive impression on his new teammates and coaches to begin training camp and even though he would describe himself as humble and caring, he knows there’s a switch that needs to be flipped when he’s on the field.
“Humble, caring, loving. Definitely have a soft side to me. I mean, not here on the field – for instance, I love my puppy. I have a Belgian Malinois. That’s my guy. So, he brings out the soft side in me,” Ngakoue said Thursday. “Got to flip the switch. It’s every man for themselves out there. That’s my whole mentality when I go out there and I try to scratch and claw each and every play.”
The Colts need that proven production from Ngakoue. With Kwity Paye entering a promising Year 2, DeForest Buckner returning as the engine of the defense and Dayo Odeyingbo hoping to make a larger impact, Ngakoue can be the steady piece of the defense that the Colts have needed.
It shouldn’t be too much of an issue, especially given the familiarity he has with the scheme.
“It’s great. Just being able to build that chemistry with the d-line as well as with the whole defense. It’s just great being back in the same scheme with Gus (Bradley),” Ngakoue said. “It feels super familiar.”
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2022-07-29T13:45:38Z
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Yannick Ngakoue bringing unique personality to Colts camp
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Two seasons ago, Andrew Benintendi was a starting outfielder for the Boston Red Sox. Now he's batting leadoff for the rival New York Yankees, who acquired the 28-year-old from the Kansas City Royals via trade Wednesday night.
When the Red Sox host the Yankees at Fenway Park for a three-game series starting Aug. 12, it will mark Benintendi's first game against his former team. (He missed Kansas City's series against Boston due to a rib injury.) Regardless of Benintendi's team, Red Sox manager Alex Cora was bracing for the "weird" moment of facing a player he won a World Series with in 2018.
"It was going to be weird anyways with Kansas City," Cora told reporters Thursday, via MassLive.com. "We haven’t played him since he got traded."
"Good for him,” Cora added. "He worked hard the last two years to make adjustments and get back to the hitter everybody envisioned in the past: .300 hitter who will get on base and is a good base runner. Defensively, he’s been amazing in Kansas City.
"For the person, I’m very happy. For the player, we’ll leave it at that."
Who the Red Sox pursue and avoid ahead of the MLB trade deadline is out of Cora's control. But with his team sitting last in the American League East at 50-50, we'd have to believe Cora isn't thrilled about Boston's biggest rival getting richer by landing one of his former players.
Patrick Mahomes’ comfort with his paycheck will be tested. And it shapes Chiefs future
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2022-07-29T13:54:51Z
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Alex Cora reacts to Andrew Benintendi joining rival Yankees in trade
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A new car, new race tracks and new rivalries reshaped the NASCAR Cup Series this season, fueling on-track action and off-track story lines worthy of their own TV series.
Fortunately for fans, that‘s exactly what‘s in store this fall.
NBC Universal announced Friday in a press release that USA Network‘s new unscripted series “Race for the Championship” will premiere Thursday, September 1, 2022 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
The announcement also included the first official trailer for the series, which you can watch above.
The 10-episode series will tell the story of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season and NASCAR Playoffs, from the competitive introduction of the Next Gen car at the Busch Light Clash at The LA Coliseum through the treacherous postseason road that brings four drivers their chance at championship glory in Phoenix.
As “Race for the Championship” documents the lives of NASCAR‘s best on and off the track, viewers will get a rare glimpse of what it takes to balance personal relationships with the pressure to perform in the high-stakes world of NASCAR Cup Series racing.
The series will feature a variety of drivers at different points as the drama of the 2022 season unfolds, including past champions like Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski, along with others eager to write their own NASCAR legacies such as Ryan Blaney, Daniel Suárez, Ross Chastain, Corey LaJoie and others.
The premiere episode serves as a perfect primer for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, which begin three days later at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, Sept. 4. That opening race airs at 6 p.m. ET and will also be broadcast on USA.
“Race for the Championship” is produced by NASCAR Studios with NASCAR‘s Tim Clark, Amy Anderson, Matt Summers and Tally Hair, along with production industry veteran Chaz Gray, serving as executive producers.
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2022-07-29T14:09:11Z
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Trailer, premiere date revealed for USA Network Series 'Race for the Championship'
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How to watch NASCAR, IndyCar at Indianapolis Motor Speedway originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser has requested the deployment of military troops to assist with migrants arriving on buses sent by the Texas and Arizona state governments, according to letters sent by her office to U.S. military and White House officials. Bowser, a Democrat, has clamored in recent weeks for federal funds to provide shelter and services to migrants arriving on buses from the two Republican-led states, which sought to make a political statement by sending border crossers to Washington. "Our ability to assist people in need at this scale is very limited," Bowser said in a letter to White House officials, adding that non-profit organizations welcoming migrants in Washington are "overwhelmed and underfunded."
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2022-07-29T14:09:17Z
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How to watch NASCAR, IndyCar at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
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Game Recap: Mystics 87, Wings 77
The Mystics defeated the Wings, 87-77. Natasha Cloud led the Mystics with 14 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists, while Ariel Atkins added 14 points and 6 assists in the victory. Teaira McCowan tallied a career-high 27 points (9-11 FG), along with a season-high 11 rebounds for the Wings in the losing effort. The Mystics improve to 18-11 on the season, while the Wings fall to 12-16.
UNC’s Caleb Love called GG Jackson amid rumors about the elite recruit. Jackson has since backed out on the Tar Heels and signed with South Carolina.
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2022-07-29T14:22:20Z
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Game Recap: Mystics 87, Wings 77
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Robert Waldrop lives in Atoka about 30 miles away, and he hadn’t come to AutoZone Park since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It's a great city," Molina said of Memphis. "They love baseball. I had spent only two months over here, but I have a brass over here."
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 05: Yadier Molina #4 of the St. Louis Cardinals reacts while trotting around the bases after hitting a solo home run against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the third inning at Oracle Park on May 05, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Molina, who is playing his 19th season and final season with the Cardinals, is on the rehab assignment after dealing with inflammation in his right knee. He went 0-for-3 on Thursday and left in the seventh inning after getting hit on the hand with a fastball.
Before a brief stop in 2019, Molina last played for the Redbirds during a 37-game stint in 2004 before being called up to the major leagues. He went on to win nine Gold Gloves and make 10 All-Star appearances in the big leagues, helping the Cardinals win World Series titles in 2006 and 2011.
Molina’s night ended in the seventh inning after he was hit on the hand by a fastball. The loud cheers shifted into boos toward the Tides as Molina walked halfway down the first base line before taking a detour with a Redbirds trainer to the bench.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Cardinals' Yadier Molina plunked by fastball in rehab assignment
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2022-07-29T14:40:10Z
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Yadier Molina plunked by fastball in rehab assignment, still dazzles for Memphis Redbirds
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The hype and expectations keep climbing for junior Blake Corum. On Friday, he was announced on the Walter Camp Watch List.
Corum has been added to multiple different watch lists this summer and for great reason.
Corum started the season off on a high note in 2021 after rushing for over 100 yards in his first three games, and he was arguably Michigan’s 1A option at the position. But once he got a little banged up, Hassan Haskins erupted and took over the lion’s share of the snaps. Even after missing some playing time, Corum still ran for 952 yards and 11 scores on the ground.
With Haskins leaving for the draft and being selected by the Titans, Corum is once again going to be leaned on. He’s going to have plenty of help with former five-star, now a sophomore, Donovan Edwards, but between leadership and versatility, Corum is going to need to be the guy this year for the Wolverines.
Kenneth Walker from Michigan State won the award last year, and for 2022, there are 52 players on the Walter Camp Watch List.
You can see all the players that were selected to be on the watch list below.
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2022-07-29T15:26:18Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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Blake Corum added to Walker Camp Player of the Year Watch List
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https://sports.yahoo.com/blake-corum-added-walker-camp-145225796.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/blake-corum-added-walker-camp-145225796.html?src=rss
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The Philadelphia 76ers were not able to build a lot of it after they acquired James Harden at the deadline in February. Now that they have a full offseason with him, that situation is beginning to change.
Harden has been in the gym working out with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and new — and old for Harden — teammate PJ Tucker to build that bond with his teammates and continue to grow with the team.
Now, Harden and the Sixers were seen going out to dinner together at a steakhouse. Some players seen in this video taken by a fan are Embiid, Harden, Maxey, Paul Reed, Jaden Springer and Charles Bassey.
Events like this for the Sixers develop their chemistry and strengthen bonds within the group that will be beneficial. If they like each other off the floor, it will be easier to play with each other and win on the floor.
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2022-07-29T15:26:37Z
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sports.yahoo.com
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James Harden, multiple Sixers seen going out to dinner together
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https://sports.yahoo.com/james-harden-multiple-sixers-seen-184221100.html?src=rss
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https://sports.yahoo.com/james-harden-multiple-sixers-seen-184221100.html?src=rss
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