Nottingham Forest boss Oliver Glasner has been speaking to BBC East Midlands' Charlie Slater as the Reds wrap up their 12-day training camp in Portugal.
Here are the key lines from their chat:
Their pre-season camp has been "very positive", with most of the players expected to get 90-minute runouts against either Portimonense or Sporting on Friday.
Glasner added: "We have trained really hard, the players have shown great work ethic and everybody has enjoyed the sunny weather. I wanted us to work really hard on the pitch but also to enjoy the time together."
When asked what he enjoys most about training sessions, Glasner replied: "I like being on the pitch with the players, showing them solutions, supporting them and explaining the way we want to play. I know many other things are part of being a manager, but for me this is the best one."

#glasner #forest

Under former head coach Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M's wide receiver rotations struggled to find any consistency, no matter who was throwing the ball, and even after landing five-star Evan Stewart and four-star Noah Thomas in the historic 2022 recruiting class, injuries, a lack of development, and poor usage derailed both players' careers in College Station.
Stewart, who transferred to Oregon after the 2023 season, is currently a redshirt senior with the Ducks, while Noah Thomas transferred to Georgia after three seasons with the Aggies, appearing in 35 games and recording 73 receptions for 934 yards and 15 touchdowns, serving as A&M's starting X receiver during his final season, which was by far his most productive.
Why Thomas decided to transfer to Georgia is still surprising to this day, appearing in 10 games with the Bulldogs and recorded just 16 receptions for 264 yards and four touchdowns. Even after landing transfer wide receivers Mario Craver and KC Concepcion, Thomas would have still seen extensive playing time as the X receiver, especially after Jerome Myles' injury before the 2025 season.
The Aggies lacked size, which became an issue late in the year after starting 11-0, but after adding Alabama transfer WR Isaiah Horton this offseason, who is 6'4" and 215 pounds, A&M has likely solved its size issue, while Noah Thomas, who went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft, is looking to stand out with the Cincinnati Bengals during NFL Training Camp.
On Thursday, Thomas made the "catch of the day," which was captured by local Bengals media, as the rookie's physicality and concentration were on full display, pulling down the catch against veteran cornerback D.J Ivey. Thomas certainly possesses the traits to make an NFL roster.

#receiver #aggies #bengals

Everyone was talking about the training camp scuffle from Day 1 of camp for the Cincinnati Bengals. Some people were concerned that Zac Taylor was letting too much go.
In reality, it was just players going out and competing against one another to get better.
Ja'Marr Chase talked to the media after Day 2 of camp. When asked if he liked seeing that type of fire from the defensive back,
"A lot of competitiveness going on, and getting each other better. That's what I want, exactly what I want. I never seen JD like that. It's new. I like it. I think it makes them guys practice a little harder," he said.
The JD he was referring to is expected nickel corner starter Jalen Davis. It isn't surprising that a former undrafted free agent who has had to scratch and claw his way on the practice squad and roster would be out there with a bit of a chip on his shoulder. Davis mixed it up with Chase, but also with Mike Gesicki during day one of training camp.

#chase #better #everyone

On Monday, we covered wide receiver Andrew Armstong's meandering journey from small school Texas A&M – Commerce to Chiefs training camp. Armstrong's work so far at the team's training camp at Missouri Western State University has also caught the eye of The Athletic's Jesse Newell. Newell compared Armstrong's longshot bid to that a year ago of one-time draft bust Tyquan Thornton a year ago.
Armstrong's height offers a profile observers have long wished the Chiefs would add to the wideout rotation. That said, Armstrong has never played a regular season NFL snap is will turn 26 during the coming season.
New Chiefs wideout is following Tyquan Thornton-like path. Will he make the roster? | The Athletic
The 6-foot-4 Armstrong added to his strong offseason Thursday, pulling down a deep contested catch from quarterback Justin Fields during seven-on-sevens as one of the team's top highlights of a rainy practice session.
Chiefs coaches also seem to be taking notice of Armstrong. With receiver Rashee Rice still sitting out live drills as he ramps up after offseason knee surgery, Armstrong received numerous reps with Mahomes and the first-team offense Thursday.

#year

Some NFL preseasons are loaded with the excitement of training camp battles, especially those among quarterbacks vying for the top spot the the depth chart heading into Week 1. This is not going to be one of those preseasons.
After a notably underwhelming quarterback class in the 2026 NFL Draft, there aren't too many starting jobs up for grabs heading into the coming season. Nearly every team has a veteran already entrenched in starting jobs behind center, and only a few teams have even a hint of uncertainty about which quarterback will be their QB1 in Week 1.
Outside of those teams, the most excitement in the lead up to the regular season might come from various quarterbacks' races against the clock to return from injury. Kansas City Chiefs veteran Patrick Mahomes and Denver Broncos third-year Bo Nix each sustained season-ending injuries late last year, though both have stated their desire to be available to start Week 1. A few other quarterbacks outside of the AFC West face similar ticking clocks after their own season-ending injuries.
With roughly two months to go before the start of the 2026 regular season, USA TODAY Sports predicted the starting quarterbacks for all 32 NFL teams in Week 1:
NFL QUARTERBACKS: From the Chiefs to the Jets, ranking every team's QB situation

#outside #preseasons #heading

The Men's First Team take on Nice in a pre-season friendly at the Juventus Training Center on Friday, 31 July, evening.
Luciano Spalletti has named his squad list for the game, which kicks off at 18:00 CEST, and is available to watch for free by registering on Juventus.com and on the Club's Official App.
Below is the squad list in full.
XXX

#squad #list

For the past nine years, Audi and FC Bayern have brought world-class football to fans around the globe. To mark the 10th anniversary, the German record-breaking champions are heading back to Asia for an amazing journey from 1 to 8 August 2026! This year's tour takes the team to two stunning destinations: the beautiful island of Jeju in South Korea and the vibrant metropolis of Hong Kong.
Fans can look forward to an itinerary full of highlights, including a friendly match against Jeju SK FC and Aston Villa in Hong Kong. But that's not all: alongside FC Bayern legends, fan events and open training sessions, Audi will present a one-of-a-kind, specially foiled Audi RS e-tron GT designed exclusively for this milestone tour.
A historic anniversary, world-class football and unforgettable memories await. Stay tuned and get ready to join us on this epic summer journey!
All the info on the Audi Summer Tour 2026

#audi #bayern #kong

One of the biggest moves of the Tennessee ******* ans' offseason was trading T'Vondre Sweat to the New York Jets to reunite Robert Saleh with edge rusher Jermaine Johnson and bolster the edge position. Through two days of training camp, it appears like that was a home run.
Johnson has looked the part, has had some solid reps against left tackle Dan Moore, and is taking advantage of his opportunity playing alongside Jeffery Simmons and John Franklin-Myers.
After Day 2, Johnson met with the media and made it clear that this is only the beginning, and both the intensity and physicality will ramp up next week, saying, "They don't know what's coming when we get the pads on."
The sentiment has been echoed through the first three days of training camp, with Saleh hinting that this could be some of the players' most intense training camp of their careers. Couple that with a new-look defense that appears to have embraced the attacking style, and it is shaping up as a competitive and entertaining training camp.
This article originally appeared on ******* ans Wire: ******* ans' Jermaine Johnson ready for padded practices to begin

#johnson

Indianapolis Colts' cornerback Charvarius Ward said after the 2025 season that retirement was on his mind, but how close was he to making that decision?
"Probably 85% sure I was going to retire," Ward said via Stephen Holder after Thursday's training camp practice.
Ward sustained three separate concussions last season. He also lost his daughter in 2024.
"I found a different why, a different purpose," Ward said. "Doing it for Junior, doing it for Amani, my daughter. They bring me joy. They bring a smile to my face."
On the practice field, Ward -- as well as Sauce Gardner -- are off to very strong starts.

#season #practice #daughter #colts

FC Bayern pair Edna Imade and Franziska Kett both suffered ankle injuries in training on Thursday. The forward and the full-back will be out of action for the Munich team for several weeks.
FC Bayern Women entertain Paris FC at Sportpark Unterhaching:
FCB Women Fan Festival at Sportpark Unterhaching

#women #imade

In what is some of the more unexpected former Cincinnati Bengals players news to hit training camp in years, a surprising name has started to make the rounds:
Cordell Volson.
Volson, a fourth-round pick by the Bengals in 2022, might just be in line to start for the Tennessee **** ans next season.
At **** ans training camp, Volson has received work with the first team under the direction of head coach Robert Saleh.
That will surprise some Bengals fans. Volson was an underdog story who worked his way up to a starting job, going for 989-plus snaps three seasons in a row from 2022-2024 before going to injured reserve last year.

#bengals #camp #going #robert

The Philadelphia Eagles are preparing for the 2026 season without wide receiver A.J. Brown following his trade to the New England Patriots.
There had been plenty of noise from Brown and his camp over a potential move away from Philadelphia throughout last season.
Brown was left unsatisfied by the lack of opportunities he was getting with the ball during the back end of his spell with the Eagles.
A deal was agreed between the two franchises earlier in the offseason to send Brown to New England and reunite with former head coach Mike Vrabel.
With training camp now firmly underway, the Eagles are looking considerably different on offence without 'Swole Batman' on the roster.

#brown #Eagles #england #without

Nathan Jibulu has signed a new contract with Sale Sharks aiming to keep him at the club until 2030.
The 23-year-old hooker, whose performances for the Sharks in his first season earned him a call-up to the England training squad in June, played 23 games with Sale after joining from Harlequins last summer.
Jibulu told the Sale website: "We know the season didn't go as we wanted but the atmosphere has been really good and so many young lads got a lot of experience in big games.
"It's so exciting to think where lads like Alfie Longstaff and Ralph McEachran could be in two or three years.
"With the signings we've made this season, we're building a squad that can win **** les and I want to be a part of that."

#season #sharks #games

Felicia, the flagship brand of Andriani Societa Benefit, announces a multi-year partnership with Juventus Football Club, becoming the Club's Official Healthy Food Partner. The agreement brings together two organisations that share values, including innovation, the pursuit of excellence and a strong focus on quality of life.
Felicia and Juventus aim to promote increasingly conscious consumption habits, highlighting the role of a balanced diet as an integral part of an active lifestyle.
Felicia will be present throughout the Juventus ecosystem through a structured program that includes brand visibility, digital content and dedicated experiences for supporters and the Bianconeri community. The agreement includes a presence at Allianz Stadium during Serie A and Italian Cup matches, activities at the Juventus Training Center and the production of exclusive content developed in collaboration with Juventus Creator Lab, providing direct access to Juventus' extensive global social media audience of more than 190 million followers.
The project will also directly involve the Club's sporting operations. Felicia products will become part of the Men's First Team's nutritional plan, confirming the shared focus on quality, innovation and wellbeing. The decision is consistent with the brand's commitment to promoting a healthy lifestyle inspired by the Mediterranean diet and biodiversity at the table, through products that are naturally gluten-free, rich in plant-based protein and whole grains and also suitable for athletes.
"This partnership marks an important milestone in Felicia's journey to strengthen its presence in the world of sport through the promotion of a positive and responsible approach to nutrition," said Marco Lentini, Marketing Director of Andriani Societa Benefit. "Working with an organisation such as Juventus means helping to raise awareness of issues related to wellbeing, taste, and the value of food biodiversity. It is the meeting of shared values and a common ability to create authentic connections between people, generations and communities.

#societa

The return of the NFL training camp marks the annual release of EA Sports' Madden NFL 27 franchise.
This year's installment of the popular football video game will release less than two weeks from now on Thursday, Aug. 13.
Those who pre-order Madden NFL 27 ahead of time can have early access to the game on Thusday, Aug. 6 and Monday, Aug. 10.
With the full ratings officially revealed for every player in the NFL on Friday, where do the Giants highest rated overall players and rookies rank heading into the 2026 season?
Here are the details:

#madden #thusday #Giants

The Washington Commanders opened training camp on Wednesday, and by all reports, the defense has the early advantage over the offense. That's not a surprise. It's how things usually go this time of the year, especially when each side is installing a new scheme.
After an uneven start on Day 1 of training camp, quarterback Jayden Daniels was better on Thursday. Far too often on Wednesday, Daniels held onto the ball for a split second too long. While no contact is allowed right now, Daniels would've been sacked multiple times if it were a game.
Again, much of this is expected right now. It's nothing to be alarmed about. But there is something that should concern Commanders' fans. Check out this X post from Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic.
Obviously, Jhabvala is posting a GIF of Stefon Diggs, indicating that her takeaway from two days of camp is that the Commanders need the free-agent wideout.
Various reports have indicated Washington receivers have had trouble gaining separation or have dealt with drops. This is excluding Terry McLaurin, of course. It's not a complete surprise because general manager Adam Peters spent the offseason trying to land another top receiver opposite McLaurin. San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was long thought to be a potential option, but that's now off the table for various reasons.

#mclaurin #reports

Jalen Hurts isn't the only one in Philadelphia who has had to adjust to a new offensive coordinator each season, wide receiver DeVonta Smith is also learning yet another new system by another new guy. The WR spoke to reporters after the Eagles' first training camp practice, and gave some insights into how new OC Sean Mannion is handling the responsibility.
"I think he's doing a tremendous job getting everybody up to speed, helping everybody understand the small details of the offense."
Training camp is a really important time to learn more about a new play-caller, and Smith talked a bit about some of the things he focuses on when working with someone new.
"Biggest thing is understand his flow, how he's going to call it, the new terminology and things like that. I think that's the biggest thing about it — when you kinda don't know what the flow is, you kinda don't know what to expect, you have to grow and learn. So, I think once you get to understanding how he wants to do things, it becomes easy."
The new system that Mannion is installing has been spoken about with excitement from players throughout the offense, from Lane Johnson to Jalen Hurts. The Eagles' QB complimented the OC for how he's teaching the group and his approach.

#jalen #hurts #training

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Jordan Love noticed the dynamic quickly his rookie year.
Aaron Rodgers was not running the Green Bay Packers offense the way Love had seen college quarterbacks run an offense.
Rodgers was not simply following what head coach Matt LaFleur dictated, and he was not only told what to do. He had influence. Love aspired to that.
"When I first got here, just being able to see how [LaFleur] and A-Rod had that relationship," Love told Yahoo Sports on Wednesday after training camp practice. "Obviously it was a lot different with A-Rod: He's been in multiple offenses, obviously the career he's had, just the knowledge he has of the game. But it was cool for me to be able to see that. See how they just bounced stuff off each other, much different than what it was in college to someone who just has complete control of the system."
As Love waited behind Rodgers for three years, including two Rodgers MVP seasons, he continued to eye the goal.

#lafleur #obviously #college

Giants training camp gets heated as Abdul Carter challenges Andrew Thomas originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
New York Giants pass rusher Abdul Carter is already making his presence felt at training camp—not just with his athleticism, but with his confidence and competitive fire.
During Thursday's practice at the Sports Performance Center at The Greenbrier, Carter delivered one of his most impressive performances yet against All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas. The explosive defender consistently showcased the speed, bend, and burst that made him one of the top defensive prospects in the NFL Draft, even winning several reps against one of the league's premier offensive linemen.
As expected, Carter celebrated his success with plenty of trash talk, letting Thomas—and everyone within earshot—know about it.
But if Carter was hoping to get a reaction, he picked the wrong opponent.

#abdul #training #camp #source

The Chicago Bears beat reporters were all pretty much in agreement in their praise for the offense on day two of training camp practice.
"Good day overall for the offense," shared Bear Reports' Zack Pearson, who had a nice recap thread about the day.
"Massive day for Luther Burden, he was the most targeted receiver on the field," wrote FOX32's Devan Kaney. "Caleb Williams looked great, completing the majority of his passes."
CHGO's Adam Hoge shared that it was "One of Caleb Williams' better practices. Well over 70% today. Only 4 incompletions all day in 7-on-7/team, and two were tipped at the line."
The Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs highlighted a "Nifty diving catch by Colston Loveland with LB Devin Bush in tight coverage for 20 yds in 11/11. Dart of a throw by CW."

#Chicago #caleb

Eagles' defensive pair not focused on contract extension talks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Just ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles' training camp, the team announced it was signing defensive tackle Jordan Carter to a four-year contract extension worth $152 million. This extension will make him the highest-paid defensive tackle in the history of the NFL, surpassing the Tennessee ***** ans' Jeffery Simmons, who put pen to paper on a deal worth $105.8 million earlier in the offseason.
When discussing the extension at the training camp, Eagles' executive vice president, Howie Roseman, made a remark about the safety of fans' jerseys for certain players, without saying their names; it'd be presumed that he was talking about cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean.
Mitchell, who was just named within the NFL's top 100 players earlier in the week, isn't in a contract year, with next season being his last guaranteed season in the City of Brotherly Love, given that the 2028 season lies under a team option. A similar thing can be said for DeJean, who has another year left on his contract, meaning the team's front office doesn't exactly have to rush to get either of their players similar extensions.
Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean don’t sound like they’re letting the possibility of big paydays within the next year distract them from this season.#EaglesSportsRadioWIPKYWNewsradiopic.twitter.com/bK7CEexrW3

#extension #year #mitchell #dejean

The San Francisco 49ers are reuniting with Deebo Samuel. The team signed him to a one-year on Thursday, adding a proven NFL wideout to its wide receiver-needy roster.
He spent the first six seasons of his pro career with San Francisco he was traded to the Washington Commanders in March 2025. Samuel enjoyed his best season in 2021, recording 77 receptions for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns. He also recorded 365 yards on the ground and eight scores. Samuel's strong performances earned him first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods.
MORE: Commanders WR Deebo Samuel receives $700K news ahead of Eagles matchup
His contract is for $7 million and the signing happened amid the 49ers' training camp.
Samuel has played 81 regular-season games for San Francisco, including 73 starts. His addition provides the team with insurance the the wide receiver position. Ricky Pearsall is dealing with swelling in the posterior cruciate ligament of his right knee. Christian Kirk, on the other hand, missed recent training camp sessions due to a strained calf.

#deebo

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani wasn't in the lineup for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night because of lingering soreness in his left knee that is keeping him off the mound.
The two-way superstar wanted to play against the Seattle Mariners, manager Dave Roberts said, but it was the team's decision to rest him. Ohtani told the training staff of renewed soreness after Wednesday night's 4-2 win.
"I appreciate the communication," Roberts said. "I can't read minds, the training staff can't read minds, so just for him to communicate that then allows for us to make a decision."
Second baseman Tommy Edman was set to bat leadoff in Ohtani's place in the series finale.
Ohtani has been dealing with knee soreness since June 11 and hasn't pitched since July 3 while also dealing with a right biceps issue. He skipped the All-Star Game in Philadelphia to stay home and receive a lubricant injection in the knee.

#roberts

Jul. 30— More than 20 middle school and high school coaches came together this summer for the inaugural Austin Coaches Leadership Retreat, a new professional development opportunity centered on one shared belief — Culture Wins: One Department. One Coaching Community. One Standard.
According to a release from the district, the afternoon was dedicated to strengthening leadership, fostering relationships, and building a unified coaching culture with the intent tol positively impact every student-athlete in Austin Public Schools.
The retreat began with a "Coaching Journey Map" activity, where coaches shared the experiences, mentors, and moments that shaped their coaching careers. Common themes emerged across the coaching spectrum including relationships, trust, accountability, service, and a passion for helping young people grow.
Guest presenters expanded those themes throughout the afternoon. Mental performance expert Melissa Hager challenged coaches to think about developing confident, resilient athletes who are prepared to handle both success and adversity. Coaches also heard from the team at ETS Strength and Performance, who shared the philosophy behind Austin's investment in performance training and highlighted how strength and conditioning supports injury prevention, confidence, discipline, and long-term athletic development.
Head and ****** istant coaches from both the middle school and high school connected, exchanged ideas, and began building relationships that are intended to strengthen collaboration across programs for years to come.

#culture

Another day down, and the Colts second training camp practice of the season in as many days. Only this time around, we arguably saw a crisper Daniel Jones among other tidbits from the day:
Colts Day 2: Daniel Jones sharp.Opens 3/3 in team, 5/5 in 7 on 7,
Daniel Jones makes his first mistake of camp. Doesn’t see Austin Ajiake and throws it right to him. Would’ve been a pick 6.

Great pressure from Laiatu Latu on this play also.
Daniel Jones with a really nice thrown deep ball intended for Josh Downs. Excellent play by Justin Walley in coverage to break it up. Really nice to have him back healthy.

Remember he was a standout during last year’s Training Camp as a rookie before an injury. WTHRcom
DC Lou Anarumo on Justin Walley’s early impact in camp:

“Walley’s picked up where he left off from last year. You know, I’m a big Walley fan.” pic.twitter.com/Qbbx7HxH9p

#walley #justin

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Abdul Carter was dominant, Malik Nabers worked again, Kayvon Thibodeaux made an impact, and fans had fun on a beautiful West Virginia day as the New York Giants held their second practice of training camp.
Here are some of the winners and losers, as well as other takeaways.
Abdul Carter — Carter got the better of Andrew Thomas on Thursday, and let everybody know about it. [More about Carter's big day]
Braxton Berrios — The veteran wide receiver/return man made several catches on Wednesday. He backed that up with another productive day on Thursday. Berrios is making an early impression in the competition for one of the final roster spots.
Dominic Zvada — There were no placekicking sessions in Thursday's workout. On the final play of practice, though, Zvada walked on and drilled a 57-yard field goal after the ball had been clocked by backup quarterback Brandon Allen with :01 left on the clock. Score one for the undrafted free agent in his competition with Ben Sauls.

#made

One training camp practice was enough to show the Eagles are changing everything originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Philadelphia Eagles are showing early signs of an offensive evolution, and quarterback Jalen Hurts appears ready to embrace the changes.
During the team's first training camp practice, one of the biggest takeaways was how different the offense looked compared to recent seasons. Hurts spent much of the session operating from under center rather than exclusively working out of the shotgun, signaling a new direction for Philadelphia's attack.
The shift was especially noticeable during team drills, where the Eagles frequently incorporated under-center play-action concepts. It's a wrinkle that could make the offense more unpredictable while creating additional opportunities in both the running and passing games.
For Hurts, however, the adjustment isn't as dramatic as it may seem from the outside.

#practice #source

Injuries are never a good thing for a team or a player, and one that knocks the player out for an entire season is devastating. The New Orleans Saints have had pretty good luck in recent years avoiding these major injuries before the season began, but that good luck ran out quickly. On the first day of training camp, one of the most important players for the Saints' future went down with a potentially season-ending injury: DT Bryan Bresee.
Before getting to what an injury like this does to the roster, we have to talk about what this means for Bresee. 2026 was set to be an extremely impactful year for Bresee. He took a step forward in 2025, and his run defense became more consistent. This season was supposed to be the year that he could put everything together and prove to everyone that he is the franchise's star DT. With a potential contract extension set in 2028, Bresee must prove to the Saints that it will be worth it, but missing an entire year could prevent that.
Now let's talk about the defense. Bresee is a very important player, and if he were going to take that developmental step forward, the defensive line could have been dangerous, but that's not going to happen now. The defensive tackle position was already a questionable group, so this new injury makes it even more of a question mark. It's arguably the weakest part of the roster. Investments have been made, such as the selections of Vernon Broughton and Christen Miller, but those are two unproven commodities. Broughton only played one game last season, and Miller is a rookie. Then, behind them, Davon Godchaux is the NT, so he wouldn't fill Bresee's position, as the former first-round pick is in Brandon Staley's 3-4 DE spot. The same is true for John Ridgeway III, so that leaves Nathan Shepherd as really the only veteran DT that can step in.
Already since Bresee went down with an injury, the Saints have utilized Broughton and Shepherd in that open spot, so those may be the two players to take over, but the edge rushers on teh roster could also be in that position. Carl Granderson started the season playing more of an OLB role for the Saints, but as the season went on, he saw more consistent success as a 3-4 DE. He may end up being a player that can step up and hold the spot down while Bresee is out.

#player #broughton

Deebo Samuel is back! 49ers pull off stunning reunion originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The San Francisco 49ers are turning to a familiar playmaker to strengthen their offense, bringing back veteran wide receiver Deebo Samuel on a one-year contract worth up to $7 million.
Samuel returns to the franchise where he spent the first six seasons of his NFL career after a one-year stint with the Washington Commanders. The reunion comes at an ideal time for San Francisco, which has already dealt with injuries to wide receivers Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk during training camp.
The 49ers originally selected Samuel in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, and he quickly developed into one of the league's most unique offensive threats. His combination of receiving ability, physical running style, and versatility made him a centerpiece of Kyle Shanahan's offense.
Although his time in Washington lasted only one season, Samuel remained an important contributor. He led the Commanders with 72 receptions while totaling 727 receiving yards and five touchdowns. However, his trademark role as a hybrid weapon was used far less frequently than in previous years. Samuel carried the football only 17 times as Washington's injuries at wide receiver forced him into a more traditional receiving role.

#sporting #francisco #washington #reunion

The Houston Texans are expecting a massive jump from second-year wide receiver Jayden Higgins as they prepare to make their deepest run in the playoffs in the DeMeco Ryans era.
They'll need to see growth, especially with second-year standout Jaylin Noel on the NFI list with a finger issue and Tank Dell still working his way back from injury.
It's early in training camp, so expectations are low, but takeaways are high. As the team prepares for their first indoor practice, Higgins has been the best offensive weapon, turning heads through drills, especially in team reps as C.J. Stroud's second-best threat.
"You're seeing a guy who we're able to move around the formation a little bit more, get him inside the formation, "Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. "He's making some plays everywhere we put him. On the first play of practice today, he ran a great route and C.J. gave him a great ball. It just shows his growth and shows a guy you can rely on."
DeMeco Ryans says Jayden Higgins will be THAT GUY opposite Nico Collins in year 2 (via Djbienaime)

BUY STOCK NOW! https://t.co/wxWLvfDaK5

#texans #Growth #team