2 months ago
Aston Villa v **** nal, August 2024. Morgan Rogers receives a pass facing his own goal and Declan Rice is immediately on his back, but the Villa midfielder takes the ball with the outside of his right foot and swivels into **** e, leaving Rice behind. The **** e is quickly filled by **** nal's midfield enforcer Thomas Partey, but Rogers knocks it past Partey and races around his back to regather the ball, leaving the Ghanaian splayed on the grass. Their tussle at least buys Rice some time to catch up, but as he lunges in to make the tackle, Rogers takes a clever touch and Rice concedes a clumsy foul.
Arsenal would go on to win but it was an afternoon full of moments like that one in which Rogers tormented his opponents. After the game, Mikel Arteta marvelled at his performance. On Sky Sports, Jamie Redknapp compared Rogers to "Jonah Lomu in his prime", and when you saw the trail of **** nal bodies left on the floor, you understood exactly what he meant.
The Lomu comparison touched on what makes Rogers rare, even unique, in world football, and perhaps helps to explain why Chelsea FC were prepared to spend £117m to sign him this summer. Rogers is a blend of football genres, a walking oxymoron, powerful and graceful, hardy and agile, heavy and light all at once, like some contorted beast with the shoulders of a buffalo and the feet of a squirrel on an errand.
Morgan Rogers has made an impressive start to life at Chelsea (Getty)
There are other robust ball-carriers at the top of the game: Antoine **** yo and Jude Bellingham come to mind; Ryan Gravenberch, Manu Kone and Rice all perform similar functions from deep. But none have Rogers' package of strength and balance, quick feet and rapid acceleration, that creative eye and subtle movement between the lines. In an increasingly **** genized world of coaching and industrialised talent production, Rogers is something of a unicorn forward.
#villa #partey
Arsenal would go on to win but it was an afternoon full of moments like that one in which Rogers tormented his opponents. After the game, Mikel Arteta marvelled at his performance. On Sky Sports, Jamie Redknapp compared Rogers to "Jonah Lomu in his prime", and when you saw the trail of **** nal bodies left on the floor, you understood exactly what he meant.
The Lomu comparison touched on what makes Rogers rare, even unique, in world football, and perhaps helps to explain why Chelsea FC were prepared to spend £117m to sign him this summer. Rogers is a blend of football genres, a walking oxymoron, powerful and graceful, hardy and agile, heavy and light all at once, like some contorted beast with the shoulders of a buffalo and the feet of a squirrel on an errand.
Morgan Rogers has made an impressive start to life at Chelsea (Getty)
There are other robust ball-carriers at the top of the game: Antoine **** yo and Jude Bellingham come to mind; Ryan Gravenberch, Manu Kone and Rice all perform similar functions from deep. But none have Rogers' package of strength and balance, quick feet and rapid acceleration, that creative eye and subtle movement between the lines. In an increasingly **** genized world of coaching and industrialised talent production, Rogers is something of a unicorn forward.
#villa #partey
2 months ago
The New England Patriots were quite busy over the weekend, making 42 combined transactions to go from previously 91 to 53 players on their active roster. A majority of those moves were expected to happen, but the team of head coach Mike Vrabel nonetheless managed to pull off some minor surprises.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the moves that can be qualified as surprises through the lens of our established winners and losers format. It would be easy to label the 53 men on the active roster as winners and the rest as losers, but every situation is different and the reality much more nuanced than simply asking who is in or out.
QB Behren Morton: With Drake Maye a franchise-caliber player and Tommy DeVito an able and experienced backup, the top of the Patriots' quarterback depth chart was set in stone throughout the summer. The question was whether or not Morton had done enough to warrant being kept as one of the 53 players on the roster. Turns out he had. Despite some shortcomings elsewhere on the team, he made it through cutdown day as QB3 and the projected emergency option on game day.
OT Dametrious Crownover: Shortly before the cutdown deadline at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, the Patriots made a trade with the Vikings to bring in versatile offensive lineman Walter Rouse, a player capable of lining up at both tackle and guard. And yet, despite his presence, the team decided to keep four pure tackles on the initial 53. Three of those — Will Campbell, Morgan Moses, Caleb Lomu — were set in stone to begin with, but Crownover's position seemed less secure with Rouse in the mix. However, he seemingly had nothing to worry about and done enough over the summer to secure a roster spot in lieu of nominal OT4 Marcus Bryant.
ED Quintayvious Hutchins: The defensive edge had been in the spotlight going back to the offseason, and it remains a question at this point as well. Through the cutdown deadline, however, the Patriots opted to go with four players, Hutchins among them. His inclusion over fellow edges Bradyn Swinson and Jesse Luketa might have come surprisingly, but the seventh-round draft pick has developed nicely over the summer to make the pair expendable.
#cutdown #morton
With that in mind, let's take a look at the moves that can be qualified as surprises through the lens of our established winners and losers format. It would be easy to label the 53 men on the active roster as winners and the rest as losers, but every situation is different and the reality much more nuanced than simply asking who is in or out.
QB Behren Morton: With Drake Maye a franchise-caliber player and Tommy DeVito an able and experienced backup, the top of the Patriots' quarterback depth chart was set in stone throughout the summer. The question was whether or not Morton had done enough to warrant being kept as one of the 53 players on the roster. Turns out he had. Despite some shortcomings elsewhere on the team, he made it through cutdown day as QB3 and the projected emergency option on game day.
OT Dametrious Crownover: Shortly before the cutdown deadline at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, the Patriots made a trade with the Vikings to bring in versatile offensive lineman Walter Rouse, a player capable of lining up at both tackle and guard. And yet, despite his presence, the team decided to keep four pure tackles on the initial 53. Three of those — Will Campbell, Morgan Moses, Caleb Lomu — were set in stone to begin with, but Crownover's position seemed less secure with Rouse in the mix. However, he seemingly had nothing to worry about and done enough over the summer to secure a roster spot in lieu of nominal OT4 Marcus Bryant.
ED Quintayvious Hutchins: The defensive edge had been in the spotlight going back to the offseason, and it remains a question at this point as well. Through the cutdown deadline, however, the Patriots opted to go with four players, Hutchins among them. His inclusion over fellow edges Bradyn Swinson and Jesse Luketa might have come surprisingly, but the seventh-round draft pick has developed nicely over the summer to make the pair expendable.
#cutdown #morton
2 months ago
New England Patriots rookies' jerseys will have a special addition on them when they take the field for the first time this season.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, beginning this season, the NFL's rookies will wear Topps' Debut Patches on their jerseys in their respective debuts, before the patches are placed in one-of-one trading cards after their first games conclude.
Topps returned to the NFL during the spring, as their parent company Fanatics, as well as the NFL and NFLPA, came together to make the famous brand the league's official trading card licensee. The Debut Patch commemorates the brand's return to the league.
The Patriots have several rookies generating much anticipation ahead of the season, including Gabe Jacas and Caleb Lomu, who will get to help Topps put themselves back on the NFL map on the biggest stage. They, along with the rest of New England's first-year players, will get the chance to wear the patches in their first game action in the upcoming 17-game slate.
Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
#Patriots #first #jerseys
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, beginning this season, the NFL's rookies will wear Topps' Debut Patches on their jerseys in their respective debuts, before the patches are placed in one-of-one trading cards after their first games conclude.
Topps returned to the NFL during the spring, as their parent company Fanatics, as well as the NFL and NFLPA, came together to make the famous brand the league's official trading card licensee. The Debut Patch commemorates the brand's return to the league.
The Patriots have several rookies generating much anticipation ahead of the season, including Gabe Jacas and Caleb Lomu, who will get to help Topps put themselves back on the NFL map on the biggest stage. They, along with the rest of New England's first-year players, will get the chance to wear the patches in their first game action in the upcoming 17-game slate.
Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
#Patriots #first #jerseys
2 months ago
Let's get to the Philadelphia Eagles news and links …
Eagles-Patriots joint practices Day 2: Jalen Hurts finishes strong, Jalyx Hunt turns heads – PHLY
Throughout the first two full team periods, the pattern when the starters were on the field was consistent. When Drake Maye threw the ball, the Patriots moved the ball. When the Patriots ran the ball, the Eagles defensive line dominated. I counted one semi-successful run, which led to some light pushing and shoving when Nolan Smith took exception to Rhamondre Stevenson lowering his shoulder on Cooper DeJean. On one rep, Jalyx Hunt simply grabbed the ball from Stevenson's grasp in the backfield for an instant turnover. Talking with Patriots reporters after practice, their No. 1 takeaway was that Hunt looks like a superstar.
Patriots-Eagles joint practice recap: Defenses fight back on Day 2 – Pats Pulpit
Red zone woes: Improving in the red zone is an area of focus for the Patriots this season after struggling as a unit last year. On Thursday, the inconsistencies continued even though Drake Maye and Co. started strong with touchdowns to Mack Hollins and A.J. Brown on a contested catch over Quinyon Mitchell. From there, pressure became more of an issue and Maye was late targeting Brown along the goal line which led to a long pick-six by Riq Woolen. Maye's end-of-game drive then ended on one play as a slant to Brown was broken up with the ball popping up into the air and Jalyx Hunt recording an interception. The unit was given a second chance which ended better with a touchdown to Romeo Doubs. "Felt like we could have done more in the red zone," Maye said after practice. "That's something for us to learn. It's one of our focuses this year… so we got some work to do." […] Will Campbell and Caleb Lomu each split their 1-on-1 reps. Campbell continued to have some issues in pass pro against Jalyx Hunt, who is a breakout candidate for the Eagles this year, but did have a nice stunt pickup with Alijah Vera-Tucker to lead to Romeo Doubs' touchdown.
Eagles-Patriots Practice Notes: Jalen Hurts finishes strong, defense bounces back – BGN
Speaking of Jalyx Hunt, he produced two takeaways today. In addition to the pick, there was a rep where he simply stole the ball away from Rhamondre Stevenson's hands for an instant forced fumble and recovery. I love the aesthetic of that kind of play where the ball doesn't even touch the ground. Hunt is a beast. He's had an awesome summer.
Welcome to the NFC East Mixtape Feed! – SB Nation
As the 2026 NFL season draws near, SB Nation is launching a new discussion community focused on the sport's most historic division. The NFC East Mixtape Feed will be a spot for fans of the Commanders, Giants, Cowboys and Eagles to discuss the latest divisional news, share their takes about their favorite team and, of course, talk a little smack.
#Eagles #hunt #practice
Eagles-Patriots joint practices Day 2: Jalen Hurts finishes strong, Jalyx Hunt turns heads – PHLY
Throughout the first two full team periods, the pattern when the starters were on the field was consistent. When Drake Maye threw the ball, the Patriots moved the ball. When the Patriots ran the ball, the Eagles defensive line dominated. I counted one semi-successful run, which led to some light pushing and shoving when Nolan Smith took exception to Rhamondre Stevenson lowering his shoulder on Cooper DeJean. On one rep, Jalyx Hunt simply grabbed the ball from Stevenson's grasp in the backfield for an instant turnover. Talking with Patriots reporters after practice, their No. 1 takeaway was that Hunt looks like a superstar.
Patriots-Eagles joint practice recap: Defenses fight back on Day 2 – Pats Pulpit
Red zone woes: Improving in the red zone is an area of focus for the Patriots this season after struggling as a unit last year. On Thursday, the inconsistencies continued even though Drake Maye and Co. started strong with touchdowns to Mack Hollins and A.J. Brown on a contested catch over Quinyon Mitchell. From there, pressure became more of an issue and Maye was late targeting Brown along the goal line which led to a long pick-six by Riq Woolen. Maye's end-of-game drive then ended on one play as a slant to Brown was broken up with the ball popping up into the air and Jalyx Hunt recording an interception. The unit was given a second chance which ended better with a touchdown to Romeo Doubs. "Felt like we could have done more in the red zone," Maye said after practice. "That's something for us to learn. It's one of our focuses this year… so we got some work to do." […] Will Campbell and Caleb Lomu each split their 1-on-1 reps. Campbell continued to have some issues in pass pro against Jalyx Hunt, who is a breakout candidate for the Eagles this year, but did have a nice stunt pickup with Alijah Vera-Tucker to lead to Romeo Doubs' touchdown.
Eagles-Patriots Practice Notes: Jalen Hurts finishes strong, defense bounces back – BGN
Speaking of Jalyx Hunt, he produced two takeaways today. In addition to the pick, there was a rep where he simply stole the ball away from Rhamondre Stevenson's hands for an instant forced fumble and recovery. I love the aesthetic of that kind of play where the ball doesn't even touch the ground. Hunt is a beast. He's had an awesome summer.
Welcome to the NFC East Mixtape Feed! – SB Nation
As the 2026 NFL season draws near, SB Nation is launching a new discussion community focused on the sport's most historic division. The NFC East Mixtape Feed will be a spot for fans of the Commanders, Giants, Cowboys and Eagles to discuss the latest divisional news, share their takes about their favorite team and, of course, talk a little smack.
#Eagles #hunt #practice
2 months ago
FOXBOROUGH – Before the Patriots' second day of joint practices started, Mike Vrabel challenged his players.
After seeing his team decisively win the first practice against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Patriots coach wanted his group to correct their mistakes and respond with authority. The focus on Day 20 of Patriots training camp was the red zone.
It's here where details matter the most when teams have less **** e to work with. Vrabel wanted his team to remember their identity and not get caught up in their success from Wednesday.
"Playing with aggression and violence out on the field, that's our identity of the team," rookie tackle Caleb Lomu said. "And that doesn't matter what the other team does. We come out, we do what we do. And that's just how we wanted to attack the practice today and yesterday."
"Basically, don't get too comfortable," cornerback Marcus Jones added. "You know, in the National Football League, it's what hasn't done for me lately, and that's great that we did pretty good. But we had things that we needed to get right. And then we came back, and we talked about always trying to improve."
#philadelphia
After seeing his team decisively win the first practice against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Patriots coach wanted his group to correct their mistakes and respond with authority. The focus on Day 20 of Patriots training camp was the red zone.
It's here where details matter the most when teams have less **** e to work with. Vrabel wanted his team to remember their identity and not get caught up in their success from Wednesday.
"Playing with aggression and violence out on the field, that's our identity of the team," rookie tackle Caleb Lomu said. "And that doesn't matter what the other team does. We come out, we do what we do. And that's just how we wanted to attack the practice today and yesterday."
"Basically, don't get too comfortable," cornerback Marcus Jones added. "You know, in the National Football League, it's what hasn't done for me lately, and that's great that we did pretty good. But we had things that we needed to get right. And then we came back, and we talked about always trying to improve."
#philadelphia
2 months ago
FOXBOROUGH – The Patriots' offensive line has already taken their lumps.
Last week, the team lost two of their top backups when center/guard Ben Brown suffered a lower-body injury, and Andrew Rupcich suffered a knee injury. Brown will miss the rest of training camp while Rupcich is out for the season.
That has led the Patriots to have a less-than-ideal backup guard/center situation. Their top backup center is undrafted free agent Jacob Rizy. Replacing Rupcich has been 2025 undrafted free agent Mehki Butler.
The Patriots' other top backup guard, James Hudson, has played in the NFL as a tackle but never as a guard. Mike Vrabel has said the Patriots want to cross-train rookie Caleb Lomu at guard, but the coach noted the rookie has had his hands full practicing at left and right tackle.
"What happens is, where do you feel like he can make the most strides, and you don't want to derail the improvement that he's making and some of those things," Vrabel said. "And so I'm probably much like you guys and say, 'Hey, that it's not that big of a deal to go from tackle to guard.'
#backup
Last week, the team lost two of their top backups when center/guard Ben Brown suffered a lower-body injury, and Andrew Rupcich suffered a knee injury. Brown will miss the rest of training camp while Rupcich is out for the season.
That has led the Patriots to have a less-than-ideal backup guard/center situation. Their top backup center is undrafted free agent Jacob Rizy. Replacing Rupcich has been 2025 undrafted free agent Mehki Butler.
The Patriots' other top backup guard, James Hudson, has played in the NFL as a tackle but never as a guard. Mike Vrabel has said the Patriots want to cross-train rookie Caleb Lomu at guard, but the coach noted the rookie has had his hands full practicing at left and right tackle.
"What happens is, where do you feel like he can make the most strides, and you don't want to derail the improvement that he's making and some of those things," Vrabel said. "And so I'm probably much like you guys and say, 'Hey, that it's not that big of a deal to go from tackle to guard.'
#backup
2 months ago
Mike Vrabel Sends Clear Message To Patriots' Young Players originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New England Patriots saw flashes from their young players in the preseason opener. Mike Vrabel wants considerably more. New England's head coach offered a revealing ****** sment of Gabe Jacas and Caleb Lomu after reviewing the film from the Patriots' 13-13 tie with the Indianapolis Colts.
"I think it's a first start," Vrabel said during his Saturday press conference. "I think there's a lot of room for improvement. That's why we coach."
Jacas and Lomu are expected to compete for meaningful roles, but Vrabel made it clear that draft status will not excuse normal rookie growing pains.
For Jacas, the next step is translating his physical traits into more consistent defensive execution. The rookie flashed his power against Indianapolis, including pressure that helped produce a Kindle Vildor interception, but also experienced the speed and ****** ing challenges that come with an NFL game.
#vrabel #nesn #clear #players
The New England Patriots saw flashes from their young players in the preseason opener. Mike Vrabel wants considerably more. New England's head coach offered a revealing ****** sment of Gabe Jacas and Caleb Lomu after reviewing the film from the Patriots' 13-13 tie with the Indianapolis Colts.
"I think it's a first start," Vrabel said during his Saturday press conference. "I think there's a lot of room for improvement. That's why we coach."
Jacas and Lomu are expected to compete for meaningful roles, but Vrabel made it clear that draft status will not excuse normal rookie growing pains.
For Jacas, the next step is translating his physical traits into more consistent defensive execution. The rookie flashed his power against Indianapolis, including pressure that helped produce a Kindle Vildor interception, but also experienced the speed and ****** ing challenges that come with an NFL game.
#vrabel #nesn #clear #players
2 months ago
The New England Patriots have taken a hit to their guard depth with Ben Brown and Andrew Rupcich going down with injuries in Thursday's preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts.
When speaking with media members on Saturday morning, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said that Brown is expected to miss multiple weeks. It's a tough blow for the interior offensive line considering Brown's ability to swing between both guard positions and center as needed.
As a result, the Patriots signed offensive linemen Darrian Dalcourt and Joe Michalski, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss.
The team is still top-heavy at the guard position with Alijah Vera-Tucker at left guard and Mike Onwenu on the right side. However, Vera-Tucker has a long injury history, and although Onwenu has managed to stay healthy throughout his career, there are no guarantees that will remain the case in 2026.
Things could get dicey if injuries hit the starting lineup. The Patriots have seemingly prepared for a potential catastrophe by working rookie offensive tackle Caleb Lomu and veteran James Hudson out at guard in training camp.
#mike #offensive #brown #vera
When speaking with media members on Saturday morning, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said that Brown is expected to miss multiple weeks. It's a tough blow for the interior offensive line considering Brown's ability to swing between both guard positions and center as needed.
As a result, the Patriots signed offensive linemen Darrian Dalcourt and Joe Michalski, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss.
The team is still top-heavy at the guard position with Alijah Vera-Tucker at left guard and Mike Onwenu on the right side. However, Vera-Tucker has a long injury history, and although Onwenu has managed to stay healthy throughout his career, there are no guarantees that will remain the case in 2026.
Things could get dicey if injuries hit the starting lineup. The Patriots have seemingly prepared for a potential catastrophe by working rookie offensive tackle Caleb Lomu and veteran James Hudson out at guard in training camp.
#mike #offensive #brown #vera
3 months ago
The training wheels are about to come off for the New England Patriots' rookie class. After 13 training camp practices of only going up against their themselves and their veteran teammates, they now will get a chance to hit somebody else.
That somebody else is the Indianapolis Colts, who are in Foxborough on Tuesday for a two-hour joint session. It projects to be the most competitive practice of the summer thus far, and a new experience for the first-year players on New England's roster.
"That'll be the real taste of the NFL going against a different team," said offensive tackle Caleb Lomu.
Lomu, who projects to spend his rookie season as the third offensive tackle behind starters Will Campbell and Morgan Moses, last competed against other players in late November. That day, he played 59 snaps as Utah's left tackle in a 31-21 win over Kansas.
There are obvious differences between that game and Tuesday's practice. Nonetheless, the first-round draft pick is looking forward to the upcoming challenge.
#lomu #somebody
That somebody else is the Indianapolis Colts, who are in Foxborough on Tuesday for a two-hour joint session. It projects to be the most competitive practice of the summer thus far, and a new experience for the first-year players on New England's roster.
"That'll be the real taste of the NFL going against a different team," said offensive tackle Caleb Lomu.
Lomu, who projects to spend his rookie season as the third offensive tackle behind starters Will Campbell and Morgan Moses, last competed against other players in late November. That day, he played 59 snaps as Utah's left tackle in a 31-21 win over Kansas.
There are obvious differences between that game and Tuesday's practice. Nonetheless, the first-round draft pick is looking forward to the upcoming challenge.
#lomu #somebody
3 months ago
Utah center Alex Harrison has heard all of the talk about the Utes' new offensive line.
Utah is replacing all five starters from a sensational unit that helped the Utes set school records in 2025. The tackles from that line, Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu, were both selected in the first round of the NFL draft. The other starters — Jaren ******* p, Tanoa Togiai and Michael Mokofisi — all either signed NFL free agent or minicamp deals or worked out for NFL teams.
Replacing those five starters is going to be a tough task for the Utes, but the members of the 2026 offensive line are frankly tired of hearing about it.
"It's really fun for us because if you look, I can't remember who it was, was it Phil Steele or one of the social media traps you get into, I don't think we were in the top 50 O-lines in the country. It's one of those things where it's like, great," Harrison said.
"I love the fact that ******* ody believes in us. I love the fact that everyone doubts us. Bring it on. I just can't wait because I think we'll show a lot of people this year."
#utes #offensive #can 't
Utah is replacing all five starters from a sensational unit that helped the Utes set school records in 2025. The tackles from that line, Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu, were both selected in the first round of the NFL draft. The other starters — Jaren ******* p, Tanoa Togiai and Michael Mokofisi — all either signed NFL free agent or minicamp deals or worked out for NFL teams.
Replacing those five starters is going to be a tough task for the Utes, but the members of the 2026 offensive line are frankly tired of hearing about it.
"It's really fun for us because if you look, I can't remember who it was, was it Phil Steele or one of the social media traps you get into, I don't think we were in the top 50 O-lines in the country. It's one of those things where it's like, great," Harrison said.
"I love the fact that ******* ody believes in us. I love the fact that everyone doubts us. Bring it on. I just can't wait because I think we'll show a lot of people this year."
#utes #offensive #can 't
3 months ago
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The new Michigan football staff inherited a former five-star with a ton of upside, but one who hasn't seen the field yet in a real capacity.
The only time that offensive tackle Andrew Babalola suited up in a winged helmet on the field at The Big House in front of fans was in the 2025 spring game, but he tore his ACL in fall camp, precluding him from seeing game action in his freshman year. Before his injury, he was pushing Evan Link for the left tackle position, and it was in no way a decided contest between the true freshman and the elder statesman.
At Big Ten media days last week, head coach Kyle Whittingham gushed about Babalola's potential, noting that he has similar traits to his two first-round draft pick tackles, Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu. Offensive line coach Jim Harding agrees with the ****** sment, but also notes, there's a lot of work it's going to take for him to get there.
"We recruited him at the last place. I think he's a really talented kid," Harding said. "Now, he's also he hasn't played football in darn near 12 months. Tomorrow will be the first time he puts shoulder pads on in 12 months. Two days ago was the first time he put a helmet on in nearly 12 months. So could he potentially -- I think there's a lot of guys in that room that can be high draft picks and things like that. But Andrew would be one of them, and we'll just see how he develops and see how he gets back to what I think I saw on the fall camp (tape) last year."
The encouraging news is that two practices in, Babalola has been a full go in both. In order to get an idea of what he's capable of, just like Whittingham, Harding went back to his high school, spring ball, and fall camp film and liked what he saw. But now, he's going to have to get back into form, given that, as Harding noted, Babalola hasn't played football in a year.
#babalola #Football #time #first
The only time that offensive tackle Andrew Babalola suited up in a winged helmet on the field at The Big House in front of fans was in the 2025 spring game, but he tore his ACL in fall camp, precluding him from seeing game action in his freshman year. Before his injury, he was pushing Evan Link for the left tackle position, and it was in no way a decided contest between the true freshman and the elder statesman.
At Big Ten media days last week, head coach Kyle Whittingham gushed about Babalola's potential, noting that he has similar traits to his two first-round draft pick tackles, Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu. Offensive line coach Jim Harding agrees with the ****** sment, but also notes, there's a lot of work it's going to take for him to get there.
"We recruited him at the last place. I think he's a really talented kid," Harding said. "Now, he's also he hasn't played football in darn near 12 months. Tomorrow will be the first time he puts shoulder pads on in 12 months. Two days ago was the first time he put a helmet on in nearly 12 months. So could he potentially -- I think there's a lot of guys in that room that can be high draft picks and things like that. But Andrew would be one of them, and we'll just see how he develops and see how he gets back to what I think I saw on the fall camp (tape) last year."
The encouraging news is that two practices in, Babalola has been a full go in both. In order to get an idea of what he's capable of, just like Whittingham, Harding went back to his high school, spring ball, and fall camp film and liked what he saw. But now, he's going to have to get back into form, given that, as Harding noted, Babalola hasn't played football in a year.
#babalola #Football #time #first
3 months ago
New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel indicated that rookie offensive tackle Caleb Lomu will be in the mix at guard, according to Boston Herald's Doug Kyed.
Along with Lomu, veteran offensive tackle James Hudson will also continue to get reps at the guard position.
The depth at guard has been questionable behind Alijah Vera-Tucker and Mike Onwenu. That has pushed the Patriots to search for other options for emergency situations. It never hurts to be prepared, and either Lomu or Hudson could have their number called if something catastrophic happens.
Along with Lomu and Hudson, Ben Brown is also expected to be in the mix for backup duties.
The Patriots drafted Lomu in the first round as the expected replacement for veteran right tackle Morgan Moses at some point. However, there were no guarantees that would happen this season.
#lomu #expected
Along with Lomu, veteran offensive tackle James Hudson will also continue to get reps at the guard position.
The depth at guard has been questionable behind Alijah Vera-Tucker and Mike Onwenu. That has pushed the Patriots to search for other options for emergency situations. It never hurts to be prepared, and either Lomu or Hudson could have their number called if something catastrophic happens.
Along with Lomu and Hudson, Ben Brown is also expected to be in the mix for backup duties.
The Patriots drafted Lomu in the first round as the expected replacement for veteran right tackle Morgan Moses at some point. However, there were no guarantees that would happen this season.
#lomu #expected
3 months ago
FOXBORO — It was another day of sunshiine for the New England Patriots on Tuesday, Aug. 4, as they practiced in front of fans for the first time this week after moving Monday's practice indoors due to inclement weather.
Here are three takeaways from Tuesday's session:
Jacas, the second-round pick who has had limited participation in practice since being cleared to practice on Aug. 1, once again saw his practice time increase as he continues to work towards full participation after missing the start of training camp due to contract negotiations.
"He'll have a few more reps than he did yesterday," head coach Mike Vrabel said before practice, "and, [in] these situations, he has to just understand, and it's good to see him get acclimated to the special teams stuff. So, I think it's going well. I think we're off to a good start, and hopefully he can continue to keep adding things and figure out where he can help us defensively and, really, special teams."
Jacas participated in team drills for the second day in a row, lining up against a fellow rookie, offensive tackle Caleb Lomu. His participation in the drills showed where he was limited, as he only appeared for one session before watching from the sideline the rest of the time.
#practice #good
Here are three takeaways from Tuesday's session:
Jacas, the second-round pick who has had limited participation in practice since being cleared to practice on Aug. 1, once again saw his practice time increase as he continues to work towards full participation after missing the start of training camp due to contract negotiations.
"He'll have a few more reps than he did yesterday," head coach Mike Vrabel said before practice, "and, [in] these situations, he has to just understand, and it's good to see him get acclimated to the special teams stuff. So, I think it's going well. I think we're off to a good start, and hopefully he can continue to keep adding things and figure out where he can help us defensively and, really, special teams."
Jacas participated in team drills for the second day in a row, lining up against a fellow rookie, offensive tackle Caleb Lomu. His participation in the drills showed where he was limited, as he only appeared for one session before watching from the sideline the rest of the time.
#practice #good
3 months ago
The New England Patriots are set to begin training camp on Saturday. Gates open at 9:15 a.m. ET, and practice starts at 10:15 a.m. ET.
Practices will be located on the upper grass fields directly behind Gillette Stadium. Attendance is completely free to the public, and general parking is also free during the public practice days. There will be 13 training camp dates in total for fans to watch live.
This will be the 24th consecutive year of the team hosting the camp at Gillette Stadium.
It will be the start of the Patriots' quest to get back to the Super Bowl after falling short against the Seattle Seahawks last season. They've made strides in improving the offense significantly by adding top talent in the offseason, like wide receiver A.J. Brown, wide receiver Romeo Doubs, guard Alijah Vera-Tucker and rookie offensive tackles, Caleb Lomu and Damtrious Crownover.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Patriots signed veteran All-Pro safety Kevin Byard, along with using their second-round draft pick on rookie Gabe Jacas. All eyes will be on the Patriots to see if the magical 2025 run was a fluke or if the team picks back up where it left off last season.
#Patriots #practice
Practices will be located on the upper grass fields directly behind Gillette Stadium. Attendance is completely free to the public, and general parking is also free during the public practice days. There will be 13 training camp dates in total for fans to watch live.
This will be the 24th consecutive year of the team hosting the camp at Gillette Stadium.
It will be the start of the Patriots' quest to get back to the Super Bowl after falling short against the Seattle Seahawks last season. They've made strides in improving the offense significantly by adding top talent in the offseason, like wide receiver A.J. Brown, wide receiver Romeo Doubs, guard Alijah Vera-Tucker and rookie offensive tackles, Caleb Lomu and Damtrious Crownover.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Patriots signed veteran All-Pro safety Kevin Byard, along with using their second-round draft pick on rookie Gabe Jacas. All eyes will be on the Patriots to see if the magical 2025 run was a fluke or if the team picks back up where it left off last season.
#Patriots #practice
4 months ago
The New England Patriots approach the 2026 NFL season as a stronger team on paper, with talent equipped to contend for the Super Bowl.
According to ESPN’s Mike Clay, Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder, the Patriots’ starting lineups on offense and defense were collectively ranked No. 7 overall in the league, with the team’s secondary being its biggest strength.
”Christian Gonzalez has emerged as one of the league's top young cornerbacks and is joined on the perimeter by veteran standout Carlton Davis III,” Clay said. “Marcus Jones has quickly developed into a standout in the slot. Craig Woodson was a terrific find in the fourth round of last year's draft and will be joined at safety by Jaylinn Hawkins' replacement, Kevin Byard, who continues to play at a high level at age 33.”
The Patriots also strengthened their receiving corps by trading for A.J. Brown and signing Romeo Doubs this offseason. Alijah Vera-Tucker adds strength to the Patriots’ offensive line while rookie Caleb Lomu provides depth at the tackle positions.
New England made up for their losses on defense in free agency with quality veteran stars and young talent in the draft. The Patriots appear poised to make another strong push for a Super Bowl crown in 2026 with the unit they’ve put together this offseason.
According to ESPN’s Mike Clay, Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder, the Patriots’ starting lineups on offense and defense were collectively ranked No. 7 overall in the league, with the team’s secondary being its biggest strength.
”Christian Gonzalez has emerged as one of the league's top young cornerbacks and is joined on the perimeter by veteran standout Carlton Davis III,” Clay said. “Marcus Jones has quickly developed into a standout in the slot. Craig Woodson was a terrific find in the fourth round of last year's draft and will be joined at safety by Jaylinn Hawkins' replacement, Kevin Byard, who continues to play at a high level at age 33.”
The Patriots also strengthened their receiving corps by trading for A.J. Brown and signing Romeo Doubs this offseason. Alijah Vera-Tucker adds strength to the Patriots’ offensive line while rookie Caleb Lomu provides depth at the tackle positions.
New England made up for their losses on defense in free agency with quality veteran stars and young talent in the draft. The Patriots appear poised to make another strong push for a Super Bowl crown in 2026 with the unit they’ve put together this offseason.
4 months ago
Much goes into an NFL offseason, and the New England Patriots made many moves to upgrade their roster and build upon the successful year that they had last season.
ESPN's Seth Walder recently posted offseason report card grades for all 32 NFL teams predicated around the full scope of decisions that each team made. The Patriots were given a "B-" for their moves, highlighted by their lauded trade for A.J. Brown , as well as their negotiations with Mike Onwenu to take a pay cut.
"The Patriots spent significant resources to address it, signing Romeo Doubs in free agency and dealing first- and fifth-round picks for Brown," Walder said. "The latter deal was a bit rich, but I can understand why they did it. I feel Brown -- even after a down 2025 season -- could be a serious **** et to the offense. He still can be one of the very best wide receivers in the NFL, and I would expect a production spike in a pass-heavy offense with a better passer in Drake Maye throwing to him."
Brown has been lauded by his teammates after being traded to the team on June 1. He is expected to be a force in the offense next season as the team's No. 1 receiver.
The Patriots did a commendable job replacing departing stars in free agency with like talent in the open market. New England addressed their need for more help on the offensive line head-on in this year's draft, with swing tackles Caleb Lomu, as well as Dametrious Crownover, the latter of whom has been lauded by Patriots VP of Player Personnel Ryan Cowden for his versatility and natural abilities as a pass protector.
ESPN's Seth Walder recently posted offseason report card grades for all 32 NFL teams predicated around the full scope of decisions that each team made. The Patriots were given a "B-" for their moves, highlighted by their lauded trade for A.J. Brown , as well as their negotiations with Mike Onwenu to take a pay cut.
"The Patriots spent significant resources to address it, signing Romeo Doubs in free agency and dealing first- and fifth-round picks for Brown," Walder said. "The latter deal was a bit rich, but I can understand why they did it. I feel Brown -- even after a down 2025 season -- could be a serious **** et to the offense. He still can be one of the very best wide receivers in the NFL, and I would expect a production spike in a pass-heavy offense with a better passer in Drake Maye throwing to him."
Brown has been lauded by his teammates after being traded to the team on June 1. He is expected to be a force in the offense next season as the team's No. 1 receiver.
The Patriots did a commendable job replacing departing stars in free agency with like talent in the open market. New England addressed their need for more help on the offensive line head-on in this year's draft, with swing tackles Caleb Lomu, as well as Dametrious Crownover, the latter of whom has been lauded by Patriots VP of Player Personnel Ryan Cowden for his versatility and natural abilities as a pass protector.
5 months ago
The New England Patriots signed offensive tackle Caleb Lomu to his rookie contract on Monday. That officially leaves second-round pick edge rusher Gabe Jacas as the only Patriots 2026 rookie who remains unsigned.
Jacas missed voluntary OTAs with the team, and there have been questions on if he will be ready to return for mandatory minicamp. ESPN's Mike Reiss wondered if the former Illinois standout has been sidelined with an injury this offseason.
In that case, the Patriots might be saving him for training camp.
But that news would bring about some serious concerns for New England, given the lack of depth at edge rusher. Harold Landry III and Dre'Mont Jones are the top options, with Bradyn Swinson, Elijah Ponder and Jesse Luketa as the depth options.
If Jacas' health checks out, he's a player who has the potential to play significant snaps for the Patriots in 2026.
Jacas missed voluntary OTAs with the team, and there have been questions on if he will be ready to return for mandatory minicamp. ESPN's Mike Reiss wondered if the former Illinois standout has been sidelined with an injury this offseason.
In that case, the Patriots might be saving him for training camp.
But that news would bring about some serious concerns for New England, given the lack of depth at edge rusher. Harold Landry III and Dre'Mont Jones are the top options, with Bradyn Swinson, Elijah Ponder and Jesse Luketa as the depth options.
If Jacas' health checks out, he's a player who has the potential to play significant snaps for the Patriots in 2026.
