NFL training camp season has arrived. Prepare for the onslaught of information, rumors and hype pieces. But fantasy football managers shouldn't be wary of the influx of info — Scott Pianowski has you covered with one key nugget to know for every team in each division. Next up is the AFC North.
Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2026 NFL season
Harold Fannin Jr. has a Yahoo ADP in the mid-60s, and it makes sense. He finished as the TE6 last year, and fellow tight end David Njoku was not retained. But Cleveland significantly improved its receiver group this year (widening the passing tree), and the quarterback collection is still suspect. So much of fantasy success is tied to environment, and I'm worried the uber-talented Fannin will have a difficult time overcoming his context this fall. The talent leaps off the screen, but he's not a cheap pick like he was last year.
I often have a soft spot for veteran players who command a boring discount, but I can't quite commit to DK Metcalf this year. He's entering his age-29 season and his yards per target has fallen the last two years. More importantly, the Steelers brought Aaron Rodgers back for his age-43 season – so we have to be muted with our expectations about this team's pace and passing volume. For all of Metcalf's talent, he'll probably miss out on 1,000 yards for the third straight season.
We think of the Bengals as a carnival team (fun offense, leaky defense) and that means it's a blast to invest in the passing game. But save some room for Chase Brown, too. Brown is coming off an RB8 season (despite Joe Burrow missing nine games) and there's little on the depth chart after Brown. And while Brown is a capable runner, his receiving chops (69-437-5 last year) keep him in the field in all packages. Brown makes a lot of sense as a mid-second-round pick.

#last #fantasy #passing #Football

Jalen Hurts did not wait for a question to establish the Philadelphia Eagles' standard for the 2026 season.
Hurts opened his first training camp news conference with a statement about the offseason, the workouts he organized with teammates and the importance of strengthening relationships throughout the offense.
"Really good summer," Hurts said. "We got a lot of work in, got a lot of guys together and definitely grew closer. The mentality is 100 percent alignment, zero entitlement."
The message reflects Hurts' approach to leading a roster filled with accomplished and highly paid players. Philadelphia has Pro Bowl selections, All-Pro performers and players with championship experience, but Hurts does not believe previous success guarantees future results. His offseason work amid A.J. Brown's departure was designed to build the alignment he referenced. Hurts trained with quarterbacks Tanner McKee, Andy Dalton and Cole Payton in Orlando, Florida, while several wide receivers and tight ends participated in throwing sessions.
DeVonta Smith, Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks, Elijah Moore, Dallas Goedert and rookie Eli Stowers were among the offensive players involved. First-round receiver Makai Lemon joined the sessions after working through a hamstring injury. The workouts allowed teammates to develop timing while learning how each player communicates and responds to coaching. That familiarity is particularly important as Philadelphia installs Sean Mannion's offense and incorporates several new skill-position players.

#hurts #workouts #teammates #work

The Yankees (61-46) look to make it three straight over the White Sox (55-51) tonight at Rate Field following last night's 3-2 win.
Last night was a tightly contested pitching duel that saw the Yankees build an early lead and then survive a late White Sox rally. New York scored all three of its runs in the second inning against White Sox starter Anthony Kay. The rally began when Jasson Domínguez singled and Trent Grisham followed with a hit. Anthony Volpe then drilled an RBI double to deep center field, scoring Domínguez. Two batters later, Max Schuemann delivered the biggest hit of the game, a two-run double that plated both Grisham and Volpe for a 3-0 Yankees lead. The story for most of the evening, though, was Gerrit Cole, who looked dominant in his sixth start since returning from Tommy John surgery. Cole worked six scoreless innings, allowing just four hits while striking out seven and walking two. Chicago struggled to generate offense until the ninth inning. Yankees closer David Bednar entered looking for his 22nd save, but Braden Montgomery singled and Chase Meidroth followed with a dramatic two-run homer to left field, trimming the deficit to 3-2. Bednar regrouped, however, striking out former Yankee Everson Pereira to end the game and secure the save.
The Yankees have now won five of their last six games and are within 1½ games of first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East, while the White Sox remain atop the AL Central despite dropping four of their last five.
It seemed like the Sox were facing the ace of the Yankees' staff last night but tonight Chicago must face New York's current ace, Cam Schlittler (10-6, 2-07 ERA). His most recent start came on July 24 against the Phillies. He threw 7.1 shutout innings allowing just three hits while striking out 12. The White Sox will send Davis Martin (9-5, 3.49 ERA) to the **** p. The right-hander has had a breakthrough season but has been inconsistent of late allowing 12 earned runs over his last 18 innings.
Lets dive further into tonight's game and find a sweat or two.

#game #anthony

Another ranking, and another list where the Chargers find themselves just outside the top 10.
ESPN recently ranked NFL teams based on their under-25 talent, and the Chargers came in at No. 11, narrowly missing out on a spot among the league's top young cores.
"The top young player for the Chargers is Alt, who is 23 years old and tasked with protecting quarterback Justin Herbert. Running back Omarion Hampton and tight end Oronde Gadsden (both 23) performed well for the Chargers in 2025. Wide receivers Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and Tre' Harris are all 24.
"On defense, the underrated slot cornerback Tarheeb Still is still just 24 years old, while edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu will turn 24 on Sept. 3. However, rookie first-rounder Mesidor does not qualify for this ranking, as he turned 25 in April."
The Chargers dropped one spot in the list compared to last year. Notable teams ahead of Los Angeles in this category are the Raiders, Browns and the Texans.

#teams #spot #espn

Troy Polamalu is revered in Pittsburgh Steelers lore as an instinctive football genius. But behind his Hall of Fame highlight reel was safety partner Ryan Clark, who routinely had to fix the backend coverages Polamalu abandoned when following his instincts.
Appearing on the "Not Just Football with Cam Heyward" podcast with Cam Heyward, Clark revealed what it was really like playing in tandem with Polamalu. Clark recalled a specific game against the Oakland Raiders where Polamalu decided to abandon his ******* igned quarter coverage to jump a short route.
"Troy comes up to me and goes, 'RC, we get that formation again. I'mma jump the hitch.' Whoa, Troy, that means that ******* ody's going to be on the seam, Troy. No one's covering the tight end on the go. He tells me, 'They'll never throw it.' So now I'm effed up. I'm playing the middle like a dummy. We get the formation? Exactly what he thought. They run the formation. He take off 43, to the hitch. Guess what they threw? The seam," Clark recounted.
Despite the occasional broken ******* ignment, Clark never voiced frustration to Polamalu or defensive coordinator ******* LeBeau. Clark recognized that restricting Polamalu's freedom would ultimately weaken the team.
"And I never complained to him cuz I never wanted him to feel, cuz he loved me so much, I never want him to feel that him doing and being who God made him to be took away from my ability to feed my family," Clark explained. "You can't tell somebody who can fly, right, to wear a weighted vest. It would have made us a worse team."

#Football

The Green Bay Packers are opening up training camp on Wednesday, and injured players are in the spotlight as Matt LaFleur's team heads to the practice field to begin prep for the 2026 season.
Before practice, LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst answered questions from the media, providing injury updates on specific players to start training camp:
Guard Aaron Banks: Gutekunst said Banks would come off the PUP list and practice in some capacity on Wednesday. The Packers placed Banks on the PUP list on Monday, but it appears his stay there will be a short one. Suggests he was dealing with a very minor issue.
Tight end Tucker Kraft: While he's starting training camp on the PUP list, Gutekunst believes Kraft will be participating "sooner rather than later." He is now roughly 8.5 months removed from surgery. The Packers are also hopefully that Kraft -- who Gutekunst compared to Christian Watson in terms of recovery from ACL surgery -- will be ready for Week 1. "The way he looks, you'd think he's ready to go." The two sides want to get a contract extension done as well, so the team will be "protective" of their start tight end coming off a major injury.
Edge rusher Micah Parsons: Gutekunst said Parsons has a "long ways to go" but is "doing great right now." The team is not expecting him to practice during training camp, although Gutekunst left the door open. He remains on schedule in his recovery. Parsons is a "genetic freak," but the Packers continue to preach patience.

#training #camp #parsons

NFL teams and NFL players are not famously open and transparent about injury timelines, but Michael Penix Jr. was an exception today.
Per the team's 2025 starting quarterback, his recovery from his November ACL injury is progressing nicely, but it still could be a month until he's fully medically cleared. If all goes well, Penix noted, it could be a little sooner. Because the long end of that estimate would put us at August 29, that likely means the most hotly-anticipated battle of camp is all but over. So long as Tua Tagovailoa's back tightness is indeed minor, he'll be starting in Week 1.
When Penix suffered his ACL injury and had surgery, insider Ian Rapoport initially reported that it would carry a nine month recovery at minimum. Since then, both the team and Penix have avoided putting concrete timelines on his recovery, but mid-August would be around nine months and Penix now seems unlikely to be cleared by then.
Fans inserted their own timelines into the vacuum between Rapoport's initial report and the months that have come. Some very optimistic souls believed he could be cleared for minicamp, but that time came and went. Others hoped we might see Penix cleared in time for the start of training camp, a more reasonable guess but still a bit of an optimistic one.
On the first day of training camp, Penix was out there moving and throwing, but he still has not been fully medically cleared and cleared for full team work. The long and short of it is that Penix can do some work and give the coaching staff a measure of his ability, but cannot fully participate in training camp and almost certainly will not appear in preseason action. He'll get to build rapport with receivers because he's there and throwing—and he chucked a long touchdown to Zachariah Branch Wednesday—but obviously the work of running the offense and participating in scrimmages and the like is still a ways away.

#penix #still #injury #recovery

After locking down a deal for Santiago Castro, it was expected that all of Tony D'Amico's efforts would turn back to finding a left wing that Gian Piero Gasperini has been yearning for. However, it appears that the next Giallorossi signing for the time being won't be Antonio Nusa or Abde Ezzalzouli to fill that need. Instead, reports indicate that Roma's next signing won't even play that far up the pitch.
In a move that came out of nowhere, Roma is expected to sign 22-year-old Greek defender Konstantinos Koulierakis of Wolfsburg. The deal was first reported by Ugo Trani of Te la do io Tokyo and is now being corroborated by Fabrizio Romano and others. The amount being bandied about is €15 million, and it's expected that Koulierakis would fill the role of vice-Hermoso.
Koulierakis is a left-footed center back who brings considerable experience for his age. He's made 59 Bundesliga appearances over the last two seasons, 35 appearances in the Greek Super League, and another 9 Europa Conference League appearances with PAOK prior to that. He's also already made 22 appearances for the Greek national team.
Koulierakis was purchased by Wolfsburg from PAOK for just under €12 million two summers ago. After proving his worth in Germany, Roma is ready to bring him to Italy to add depth to its rearguard. Perhaps most importantly, he is a left-footed defender in a back three dominated by right-footed players—aside from Hermoso, to whom Koulierakis will likely be an understudy.
Koulierakis is a fairly tall center back at 6'2" and defends well in the air. He's known for being a progressive passer, which makes him a good fit in Gasperini's system as a left-sided defender. He's also proven to be composed on the ball and comfortable defending in tight ******* es. Koulierakis has chipped in 4 goals and 3 ******* ists during his time at Wolfsburg. At just 22, he's got plenty of room for development under Gasperini's tutelage.

#back #expected

It is a sign of the times ... literally. Advertisements dominate our daily viewing more than we may realize. Depending on the day, the average person will see between 4,000 and 10,000 advertisements. Ohio State fans will be adding one more to that list, as it was announced earlier today that the Buckeye Athletic Department has entered into an agreement with Chase Bank and will wear a jersey patch on all of its uniforms. The reported agreement will give OSU another $17 million to play with per year.
As you can imagine, there were some passionate responses to seeing the scarlet and gray uniform become a walking billboard. Some see it as a necessary evil in today's name, image and likeness arms race, while others, holding tight to tradition, were not so forgiving. Some fan bases decided to get on their high horse only to find out their school made a similar deal just hours later. Love it or hate it, this is what collegiate sports are turning into.
As soon as the news broke, there was no shortage of opinions, and we're here to bring you some of the best.
Contact/Follow us BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion.
This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State social media reacts to buckeyes wearing a jersey patch

#state #buckeyes

The Falcons' quarterback competition is on hold as the team starts training camp on Wednesday.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski said that Tua Tagovailoa will not practice after an injury "flared up." Stefanski did not specify the injury, but Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the quarterback is dealing with back tightness.
Stefanski said the injury is not considered serious and that they expect him back sooner rather than later. The head coach also said that Michael Penix has not been cleared for team drills, so neither of the players who are vying for the starting job in Atlanta are going to be fully participating in practice at this point.
The Falcons released Trevor Siemian with a non-football injury on Wednesday, which leaves undrafted rookie Jack Strand as the only healthy quarterback on the roster. The Falcons are expected to sign former Cowboys and Ravens quarterback Cooper Rush to give them another option at the position as they wait for Tagovailoa and Penix to get the green light for full practice activities.
It's not an ideal way to kick off camp in Atlanta and the Falcons will be hoping for better news for both quarterbacks before they get too much deeper into their preparations for the 2026 season.

#stefanski #tagovailoa #atlanta

The Atlanta Falcons are adding an experienced quarterback as injuries prevent their top two options from practicing.
Atlanta is signing former Baltimore Ravens backup Cooper Rush, according to multiple reports. The move comes as Tua Tagovailoa deals with back tightness and Michael Penix Jr. remains sidelined while recovering from a knee injury.
Rush gives Atlanta a healthy quarterback capable of handling training camp repetitions while the organization evaluates Tagovailoa and Penix. The Falcons entered the offseason expecting the two left-handed former first-round picks to compete for the starting job, but their health has complicated the early portion of camp.
Penix is returning from surgery to repair the ACL injury that ended his 2025 season. Tagovailoa joined Atlanta on a one-year contract after being released by Miami and was positioned to receive significant work while Penix completed his rehabilitation.
Rush, 32, spent last season behind Lamar Jackson in Baltimore after signing a two-year contract. He appeared in four games and made two starts while Jackson dealt with a hamstring injury, completing 34 of 52 passes for 303 yards with four interceptions and no touchdowns.

#penix #rush #injury #signing

Wide receiver River Cracraft is back with the Commanders.
Cracraft played two games for the team last season and the Commanders announced his signing on Wednesday morning. They also confirmed the signing of punter Matt Haack.
Cracraft returned a pair of punts during last year's stint in Washington. He had 32 catches for 374 yards and three touchdowns in 53 games for the Dolphins, 49ers and Broncos before landing with the Commanders.
The Commanders released linebacker Andre Carter and tight end Anthony Firkser to create **** e on the roster for the new arrivals. They also announced that they have activated cornerback Fred Davis from the non-football illness list.

#cracraft #games #announced

Jürgen Klopp has yet to make any decisions regarding Joshua Kimmich's role in the Germany national team, according to Sport Bild.
The report states that Klopp has so far remained tight-lipped about his plans and has not yet contacted the Bayern Munich midfielder.
As things stand, the new Germany coach has neither confirmed whether Kimmich will continue as captain nor revealed where he sees him playing on the pitch.
Kimmich, however, is reportedly unfazed by the situation and fully understands Klopp's decision to keep all options open ahead of his first squad selection.
With Germany entering a new era under Klopp, key decisions regarding the captaincy and tactical setup are expected to be made in the coming weeks.

#germany

The Washington Commanders began the week with some surprising coaching news; they were moving on from first-year tight ends coach Ben Steele. Steele was arrested last month on a DWI charge and had initially been placed on leave.
It didn't take long to realize who'd replace Steele. Legendary former NFL wide receiver Wes Welker, a five-time Pro Bowl selection as a player, was already on Washington's staff as an offensive ****** istant. Before arriving in Washington, Welker served as the wide receivers coach for the 49ers and Dolphins, and worked with the tight ends during minicamp last month while Steele was on leave.
On Tuesday, one day before the Commanders begin training camp, head coach Dan Quinn confirmed the move.
"Wes Welker will be working with the tight ends, and that's how we'll proceed forward," Quinn said.
Will there be an official ****** le change for Welker?

#ends #washington #last

Real football is back for the Dallas Cowboys, who are set to take the field for the first time in training camp on Wednesday. Most of the roster is set, with a conservative number of around 35 players all but guaranteed to make the team.
That leaves almost 20 roster spots up for grabs. Anything can happen this summer in Oxnard, and odd things occur annually in training camp, so there are some veterans who might be surprise cuts for the Cowboys. Here are four players who could be shocking releases if they don't perform well in camp.
The offense doesn't have many depth issues, but tight end is a position where Dallas could be looking for more quality. The starter is Jake Ferguson, and the No. 2 option now appears to be Brevyn Spann-Ford, who has taken over for Luke Schoonmaker in the pecking order. While neither excelled as a receiver in the offense, Spann-Ford is a much better blocker.
Brevyn Spann-Ford (#89) is a hoss. pic.twitter.com/n40IE1Df8c
Among those who could push Schoonmaker off the roster are undrafted free agent TE Michael Trigg, who brings an intriguing skill set as a receiver, or Princeton Fant, who's managed to stick around for the last two seasons.

#brevyn

The Arizona Cardinals, after a day off on Monday, were back at practice at State Farm Stadium on Tuesday. The pads went on and quarterback Jacoby Brissett took over first-team reps with the offense.
What happened on Tuesday?
While Paris Johnson has been activated, there is nothing new with the other three players. Josh Sweat, Garrett Williams and Tip Reiman still haven't been cleared to practice.
Harrison had some injury issues on Sunday. It appeared he might have had back and ankle issues. However, head coach Mike LaFleur said that he was cramping.
According to ESPN's Josh Weinfuss, Harrison had a couple of drops. Per Cardinals.com's Darren Urban, "he found himself wide open about five times in the heart of the defense, Brissett delivering the ball each time. When the Cardinals were running 13 personnel, Harrison was the wideout with the three tight ends."

#josh #practice #three #arizona

The Green Bay Packers announced four roster moves ahead of the start of training camp, including a swap of international exemption players.
The team released kicker Lucas Havrisik and edge rusher Dante Barnett and signed tight end Thomas Yassmin and kicker Lenny Krieg on Tuesday.
The kicker swap means Krieg will now represent the competition for rookie Trey Smack, while the addition of Yassmin provides a healthy body at tight end, where the Packers are dealing with injuries to Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave (both on the PUP list) to start camp.
Krieg made a 57-yard field goal and his lone extra point attempt during the preseason with the Atlanta Falcons in 2025.
Yassmin, a former Rugby player, played 42 snaps during the preseason with the Denver Broncos in 2024 and 13 with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2025. He has never appeared in a regular season game.

#krieg #packers #green

The Detroit Lions, who will conduct their first training camp practice of the year Wednesday, placed offensive lineman Christian Mahogany on the active/Non-Football Injury (NFI) list Tuesday, and defensive back Christian Izien was placed on the active/Non-Football Illness (NFI) list.
These designations are similar to that of the active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, which safeties Kerby Joseph (knee) and Brian Branch (Achilles), as well as tight end Tyler Conklin (undisclosed), were placed on Sunday. All five players cannot practice until being activated, but they can be activated at any time. The one difference is PUP has to do with football-related injuries. NFI is for injuries or illnesses that occurred away from the team.
Veterans reported to Allen Park on Tuesday.
It's not immediately known what exactly Mahogany and Izien are dealing with, though Lions coach Dan Campbell will likely share injury updates regarding those two, along with Joseph, Branch and Conklin, during his news conference Wednesday.
The Lions on Tuesday also released defensive tackle Jay Tufele, a veteran who was signed in April and figured to compete for opportunties as depth behind presumed starters Alim McNeill and Tyleik Williams.

#christian #mahogany

After Bayern Munich ran roughshod over the Bundesliga last season, is there any prospect of a tighter race this year? Former Germany men's national team star İlkay Gündoğan does not think so.
"Bayern will have no trouble and will steamroll the Bundesliga again this season," Gündoğan has predicted (via Sky Germany, as captured by iMiaSanMia). "FC Bayern are the ultimate team in Germany. To be honest, with this combination of coach, players, and club officials, I simply don't see how things can go completely wrong at Bayern in a way that, for example, Borussia Dortmund could capitalize on. I actually see Bayern as a very, very serious contender to win the Champions League as well."
On paper, Gündoğan is not exactly going out on a limb. Vincent Kompany's record-setting attack from a season ago basically returns intact; if anything, it should be bolstered by the addition of Ismael Saibari, a World Cup breakout with Morocco, and the continued progress made by Jamal Musiala since his devastating injury a year ago.
Could this be the year the Bavarians lift the UCL trophy once again?
Sign up for a user account and get:

#germany #team #munich #dortmund

It's been nearly a month since Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got married at Madison Square Garden. Several notable celebrities from the world of sports and entertainment were invited to the grand event.
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle was also in attendance, and during a recent appearance on NBC, the 32-year-old said that he was there to 'bring vibes.' Kittle justified his role by wearing a 'Dumb and Dumber' inspired outfit with Robert Tonyan.
"Me and Rob Tonyan went to 'Dumb and Dumber'. We gave Travis a heads up," Kittle said. "The best part of it was we changed backstage, and the first person that we saw walking out was Travis and Taylor, and they both just broke out laughing at us."
"I was invited to that wedding to bring vibes and have a good time and party. So, we fulfilled our side of the bargain."
Even though it's been almost a month since their marriage, Kelce and Swift have not released wedding pictures for their fans. The fans are also waiting for more details about the big event.

#swift #month

Things are not going well on the injury front for the Carolina Panthers.
Training camp got off on the wrong foot as starting linebacker Nic Scourton went down with a season-ending ACL injury. The franchise is also dealing with two offensive linemen, Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt, working their way back from injuries. And starting tackles Taylor Moton and Ikem Ekwonu are also currently injured and missing training camp, with both expected to miss the season opener.
So any new injuries at this point will be felt even harder, which is why a scary moment at camp on Tuesday immediately raised concerns.
Reports on Tuesday morning indicated that Panthers tight end Mitchell Evans, who made 17 appearances and 10 starts for Carolina as a rookie in 2025, went down with an apparent lower-body injury and had to be carted off the field – stoking concerns as injuries continued to mount for the franchise.
Luckily for the Panthers, there is a decent chance this injury won't turn out to be as serious as Scourton's was. Head coach Dave Canales said that Evans got rolled up on the play, and an initial examination did not indicate a serious injury.

#panthers #camp #tuesday

I broke down the 2027 scouting classes in my early summer scouting series, and the room has a ton of potential with a long list of potential standout players. I broke down the offense and defense in articles and I suggest reading those for a broad aspect of the room. Brock Bowers remains an elite tight end, and arguably the best in the NFL, but the Raiders do have some questions behind Bowers after the 2026 season. Former 2nd rounder Michael Mayer is sent to be a free agent, and with a good season he should be looking at a decent contract as a TE2, blocking specialist. Additionally, Ian Thomas is set to be a free agent and Las Vegas also has former UDFA Carter Runyon, who's flashed, but it's likely even with retaining Mayer the Raiders should add another TE.
These rankings are extremely early, and they will evolve over not only the summer but the next 8-10 months throughout the season, and into draft season. Some lists will feature 10, 15, 20, or more ranked prospects but I'll include others on the list below to note.
Jamari Johnson, Oregon – 6'5/260, R-So
Johnson was a key focal point of the Ducks offense last year with 32 receptions, 510 yards, and 3 TD after coming over from Louisville. He's better than Kenyon Sadiq, and in my opinion has a chance to be a better prospect than Bowers. Johnson has absurd movement skills, he's shown exceptional length, fires off the ball, and Johnson also shows a ton of quickness and movement in his route running. Johnson has fluid hips, he makes his cuts well, and Johnson shows an innate ability to adjust to the ball in the air and come down with tough catches. Where he makes a ton of impact is as a run blocker, where Johnson uses his length and athleticism with good technique, and a ton of lower body power to get off the line of scrimmage and into ***** e. Johnson will need to continue his play as the starter at TE, instead of the supplementary piece, but he has the core traits, athleticism, and technique to be a top 10 pick.
Peter Clarke, Temple – 6'6/270, Sr

#johnson #bowers #down

When the New York Jets acquired Geno Smith this offseason, the conversation immediately shifted to the quarterback. Would they get the version who revitalized his career in Seattle Seahawks? Or would they inherit the one who struggled with turnovers during his lone season with the Las Vegas Raiders?
Those are fair questions. They just may not be the most important ones. As training camp opens, the Jets' ceiling on offense could depend less on which version of Smith takes the field and more on how offensive coordinator Frank Reich builds the offensive attack around him.
Quarterbacks often receive the credit when an offense succeeds and the blame when it doesn't. While that's part of playing the position, football has repeatedly shown that coaching, scheme and supporting talent can dramatically influence a quarterback's production.
So, here's where Reich enters the picture. The veteran coach inherits an offense featuring an experienced quarterback, a dynamic running back in Breece Hall, an emerging No. 1 receiver in Garrett Wilson and a pair of intriguing young tight ends in Kenyon Sadiq and Mason Taylor. The offensive line also appears more stable than it has in recent years, giving Reich more flexibility than many first-year coordinators enjoy.
The challenge isn't **** embling talent. It's finding the best way to maximize it.

#offensive #version #geno

On Tuesday, the Carolina Panthers threw on their pads for the first time this summer.
Here are our top takeaways and observations from the team's latest outing of training camp . . .
Headlined by the ACL tear to second-year outside linebacker Nic Scourton, the start of training camp brought repeated shots to the Panthers on the injury front. But they finally had some good news this morning.
Cornerback Jaycee Horn was activated from the reserve/non-football injury list. He made a quick return, as expected, from a cut on his foot and participated with the rest of the team.
The Panthers also got back fellow starting corner Mike Jackson, who missed the last few sessions due to back tightness.

#camp

The Las Vegas Raiders are set to start training camp within the next month, and as they gear up for an interesting 2026 season, a few players and/or position groups can really make or break the season. The Raiders added a plethora of talent over the last off-season, with the Raiders likely to only return starters at left & right tackle, tight end, runningback, and one wide receiver on offense. Defensively, they likely return 3 starers on the defensive line, one at safety, one at corner, and none at linebacker. Needless, to say the Raiders are turning over the roster with talent, and for a roster that has been void of young talent in previous years, that was crucial. Additionally, they see three or four of their special teams playmakers likely change hands with Daniel Carlson and Jacob Bobenmoyer out, while new kick and punt returners should take the helm as well.
I already broke down the defense, and that article may be live when you are reading this, and if not it will be soon. I've also already broke down the offense.
The Raiders parted ways with Daniel Carlson after 8 seasons, and Carlson saw his FG rate fall steadily since 2020 going from 94.3% to 81.5% in 2025. Additionally, his abilities to hit from 50+ also fell down the board competing just 5 of 8 in 2025 after 8 of 11 in 2024, and 11 of 13 in 2022. The Raiders bring in two options, with veteran Matt Gay looking to rebound his career under DeCamillis, and rookie Kansei Matsuzawa dubbed the "Tokyo Toe, and Special-K". Gay converted 17 of his 23 attempts (74%) in 2025 though he was 4/4 in 2 games with the 49ers. He's struggled to regain his form from 2021-2022 where he 2as a Pro Bowler converting 60/64 field goals including 12/14 from 50+. Those two seasons came under new Raiders special teams coordinator, Joe DeCamillis.

As for Matsuzawa, the 2025 consensus All-American went 39/45 in his Hawaii career and another 72/72 on his PAT's. Matsuzawa is relatively new to kicking, having only done so for 5 years now, and he's not been tested from 50+ routinely which will be a big test in the NFL. Matsuzawa has the leg, and he's shown elite accuracy, but also kicking in the NFL comes with it's own challenges. The Raiders have seen their ability, and confidence, to hit field goals dip the last two seasons which has impacted not just their scores, record, but also playcalling. Las Vegas needs to be consistent at kicker to help ease pressure on the offense, and open up Klint Kubiak's playbook.
Dareke Young comes to Las Vegas following Klint Kubiak, and there's a plethora of jobs for him to take on in Las Vegas. The 6'2, 230 receiver has just 72 receiving yards in his career, but he may have a chance to take the "X" role for Klint Kubiak if he can stay consistent which has a chance to lead to 400-600 yards. Additionally, Young's best impact comes on special teams. He's been a proven gunner with a career 24 tackles and 3 FF including 2 FR, and 4 tackles in the playoffs. Young can provide as a kick

After holding a lighter practice on Tuesday, the New England Patriots are expected to ramp back up the intensity for Day 4 of training camp on Tuesday.
The defense got the better of the offense during the last competitive team period, and quarterback Drake Maye threw his first interception of training camp on an intended pass to star wide receiver A.J. Brown. Safety Craig Woodson, who has continued to show significant growth as an NFL defensive back, came up with the takeaway.
All eyes will be on Maye and the offense to see how they bounce back against the stingy Patriots defense. Can the third-year quarterback finally get things clicking with Brown on the field? Will some of the other new faces, like wideout Romeo Doubs and tight end Eli Raridon make more of an impact?
Check back for live updates from practice.
Tuesday, July 28: 10:15-12:15 p.m. ET

#back #brown #practice #training

The Green Bay Packers held tryouts for nine different players on Monday, just two days before Matt LaFleur's team opens training camp with a practice on Wednesday. Of the nine players, four were running backs and three were tight ends -- suggesting the Packers are looking for extra bodies at the two injury-affected positions to start camp. The idea is reinforced by the fact that tight ends Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave landed on the PUP list and running back Chris Brooks was placed on the non-football injury list on Monday. This time of year, teams will churn the bottom of the roster to make sure they have enough numbers to successfully operate camp practices.
The following nine players were in Green Bay for a tryout on Monday:
TE Josh Beetham (Georgia Tech): Converted quarterback played 11 games over three seasons at Michigan before seeing action in 23 games at GT. Caught only nine passes over final two seasons. UDFA.
TE Drew Biber (Minnesota): Wisconsin native. Caught 18 passes for Minnesota in 2025 after playing first four seasons at Purdue. UDFA.
C Gus Hartwig (Purdue): Spent time with the New York Jets after signing as a UDFA in 2025. Made 48 college starts at center.

#players

Monday was full of surprises for the Washington Commanders. First, the Commanders announced they had fired tight ends coach Ben Steele. Later on Monday, Washington revealed it had placed veteran linebacker/special teams stalwart Nick Bellore on the reserve/retired list.
Bellore, 37, was set to enter his 16th NFL season in 2026, and his third with the Commanders. He was among Washington's top special teams performers over the past two seasons and is a former two-time Pro Bowl selection.
Bellore was an important player. He was a key figure on all of Washington's special teams units. But while his loss will be felt, it could be a blessing in disguise for one former Commanders' draft pick.
Linebacker Kain Medrano, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, could be the player to most benefit from Bellore's retirement. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder played in nine games as a rookie last season. He did not appear on the field for one defensive snap, but did play 62% of Washington's defensive snaps.
A phenomenal athlete, Medrano had a 9.83 Relative Athletic Score coming out of UCLA. He ran a 4.46 40-yard dash and posted terrific testing numbers across the board. But with Washington's offseason acquisitions of Leo Chenal and Sonny Styles, Medrano's place on the 2026 roster was no longer a given.

#Monday

As 2026 Big Ten media days open up on Tuesday from the Hilton Chicago, Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz is scheduled for his annual preseason press conference during the three-day event's first day.
Iowa is coming off a highly successful 9-4 (6-3 Big Ten) season that culminated with an impressive 34-27 ReliaQuest Bowl victory over then-No. 12 Vanderbilt. Ferentz and the Hawkeyes are looking to build off that momentum as they enter the 28th season under Ferentz's watch.
The legendary Hawkeye head coach boasts a 209-128 record at Iowa. Ferentz will be joined at Big Ten media days by tight end Addison Ostrenga, linebacker Jayden Montgomery and defensive back Zach Lutmer.
Watch 2026 Big Ten media days
As Big Ten media days begin, here's where Iowa fans can watch coach Ferentz's press conference and the Iowa players in attendance:

#ferentz #coach #head

Every ball counts. It is a slogan made for The Hundred competition - the pyrotechnic-charged, music-pumping version of cricket bankrolled by billionaires.
It is a world away from what you get on the fringes of the professional game, where first-class cricket meets well-manicured English village grounds that so often host second XI matches.
At least, you would think so.
For some, playing for the 'twos' is a tightrope cricketing existence and a last shot at trying to make it as a professional. Every ball really could count.
But unlike The Hundred, where top earner Harry Brook will pocket £465,000 for a month's work, some second XI players on trial runs with County Championship sides are rocking up to play in matches on the UK daily minimum wage of just over £100, with a little more on top for expenses.

#matches