Twins Sign First-Rounder Aaron Sabato

The Minnesota Twins signed first baseman Aaron Sabato, their first-round pick (27th overall), on Tuesday to a $2.75 million signing bonus, slightly above the $2.57 million slot value for the 27th pick. Sabato hit .343 in his freshman year at North Carolina with a .453 on-base percentage and a .696 slugging percentage. He also had […]

Baseball Officially Back; 60-Game Season To Start July 23 Or 24

The Major League Baseball Players Association and the league ironed out the final details on Tuesday, allowing players to report to camps by July 1 and play a 60-game season starting on either July 23 or 24. An agreement on healthy and safety protocols, which was the final hurdle, was ironed out on Tuesday night. […]

Rays Sign Top Pick Nick Bitsko

The Tampa Bay Rays signed right-handed pitcher Nick Bitsko, the No. 24 pick of the first round, to a $3 million signing bonus on Tuesday, slightly above the $2.831 million slot value. Bitsko recently turned 18 years old and said he has cut back on his throwing, not knowing when he will next need to […]

Zach Banner, Chukwuma Okorafor To Compete At Right Tackle

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Zach Banner and Chukwuma Okorafor will battle for the right tackle spot in training camp, with Matt Feiler starting camp at left guard, according to head coach Mike Tomlin. However, the Steelers could move Feiler back to right tackle and Stefen Wisniewski to left guard if they aren't comfortable with the […]

Ben Roethlisberger Pleased With His Progress

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (elbow) has been pleased with his progress. "He's comfortable and pleased where he is. Some people who had the opportunity to work with him are impressed and pleased where he is. The medical experts are comfortable where he is and his readiness for 2020," […]

Ravens, Seahawks Discussing Antonio Brown

The Baltimore Ravens and Seattle Seahawks have had internal discussions about signing free-agent wide receiver Antonio Brown. Brown's off-the-field issues have piled up and ran him out of the league last year in failed stints with the Raiders and Patriots. Because of that, he's likely facing at least an eight-game suspension if he signs with […]

MLB Teams To Open With 30-Man Rosters

Major League Baseball teams can have 30-man rosters for Opening Day in late July. Rosters will be reduced to 28 on Day 15 of the season and reduced to 26 for the rest of the year on Day 29 of the season. Teams must submit a list of up to 60 players -- entire 40-man […]

Royals Agree With First-Rounder Asa Lacy

The Kansas City Royals agreed with their first-round pick (fourth overall), left-handed pitcher Asa Lacy, on Tuesday. Lacy had a career 2.07 ERA with a 13.3 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in 152 total innings (21 starts, 21 relief outings) at Texas A&M. His bonus figure wasn't announced by the Royals, but the No. 4 slot […]

Players Agree To Report By July 1

The Major League Baseball Players Association has agreed to report to training camps by July 1 and play a 60-game season, according to sources. However, a deal is not yet finalized, as there is one last health-and-safety hurdle to get over amid the coronavirus pandemic. USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale reports that there aren't any major […]

Breshad Perriman Excited About Jets Offense

New York Jets wide receiver Breshad Perriman thinks the team's offense can be dangerous this year after they ranked 32nd in the league last season. Perriman had 645 receiving yards and six touchdowns last year in a Buccaneers offense that ranked No. 1 in passing (302.8 yards per game), No. 3 overall (397.9 YPG) and […]

Tom Brady, Teammates Still Working Out Privately

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and at least a dozen Bucs players were back working out on Tuesday despite an NFL Players Association doctor recently recommending that players stop private workouts amid a rising number of COVID-19 cases across the country in recent weeks. Tampa Bay has also had multiple members of the team […]

Tua Tagovailoa's Rookie Projection Contains Lots Of Variance

The Miami Dolphins offense this year has many question marks, including rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's role in it. The fifth overall pick has also dealt with an abbreviated offseason while he continues to rehab from hip surgery, and nobody knows how long Ryan Fitzpatrick will be the starter. Over the course of his college career, […]

Justin Herbert An Ideal Fit For Chargers Offense?

Los Angeles Chargers rookie quarterback Justin Herbert, taken sixth overall in April out of Oregon, was extremely productive in college. Herbert threw 52 touchdowns and only seven interceptions from a clean pocket (fourth-most TDs) in the last two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus. He also completed 62.2 percent of his passes (sixth-best) against man […]

Players Expected To Vote Yes On Proposals

There is a strong expectation that the Major League Baseball Players Association will vote yes on Tuesday on the league's proposed July 1 report date for spring training and codify the health-and-safety protocol to lock in a 60-game season that will start around July 24, according to sources. However, the health-and-safety issues could cause a […]

Owners Vote To Proceed With 2020 Season

MLB owners unanimously voted on Monday night to proceed with the 2020 season under the terms of their March 26 agreement with the Players Association after the union's executive board voted down the league's latest offer of a 60-game season with expanded playoffs. Commissioner Rob Manfred has the power to implement a schedule of his […]

Joe Burrow Expected To Be Top Rookie QB

Cincinnati Bengals rookie quarterback Joe Burrow, the No. 1 overall pick of the draft, is projected to be the most productive rookie signal-caller in 2020, per NFL Network's Cynthia Frelund. Cincy's shaky offensive line could pose problems for Burrow in his first year. The good news is that Burrow threw 17 touchdowns and only one […]

MLB Commissioner To Implement 60-Game Season

Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred is scheduled to implement a 60-game season that will start on July 29, although no official announcement has been made. This comes as the Players Association rejected MLB's latest proposal of a 60-game schedule with expanded playoffs. By rejecting the league's latest offer, the players union retains the right […]

Players Reject MLB's Latest Offer Of 60 Games

The Major League Baseball Players Association voted (33-5 against) on Monday to reject the league's 60-game proposal with expanded playoffs, putting commissioner Rob Manfred in position to implement a schedule of his choosing -- likely between 50 and 60 games. "While we had hoped to reach a revised back-to-work agreement with the league, the players […]

Keenan Allen A Creative Route-Runner

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen is a creative route-runner with an assortment of moves off the line of scrimmage that leave defenders out of place. Allen, who stands at 6-foot-2, 211 pounds, has three straight 1,000-yard seasons and has also gone over 100 catches twice in that span. The 28-year-old remains entrenched as […]

Mike Evans Among The Best At His Position

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans is a big-bodied wideout who has gone over 1,000 yards receiving in each of his six seasons. His yard-per-catch average has been north of 17.0 in each of the last two years, which shows his big-play ability down the field. Evans' combination of size (6-foot-5, 231 pounds), speed […]

DeAndre Hopkins A Master Of 50/50 Ball

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is an acrobatic pass-catcher with elite hand-eye coordination. He's known for being a master of the 50/50 ball and has a knack for coming down with contested catches in traffic. Nuk has averaged 90 catches for 1,229 yards over his seven NFL seasons while scoring 31 touchdowns since 2017. […]

Michael Thomas In Consideration As Best Receiver

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas, who had his third straight 100-catch season in 2019, is in consideration as the best at his position after setting an NFL record with 149 receptions last season. At 6-foot-3, 212 pounds, Thomas is a bully on the outside with a hard-nosed playing style. The 27-year-old has gone […]

Julio Jones The Best Receiver In The NFL?

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones remains the best receiver in the league, according to NFL.com's Bucky Brooks. The 10-year veteran is an explosive track athlete with A-plus size and strength. Jones has reached 12,000 receiving yards faster than any pass-catcher in league history (125 games). He also has the highest career average in receiving […]

Jamal Adams Pushing For Trade To Cowboys

New York Jets safety Jamal Adams, who requested a trade last week, would prefer to be dealt to the Dallas Cowboys, his hometown team. Adams grew up in the Dallas area and attended high school 31 miles from AT&T Stadium. The Cowboys are one of eight teams he'd accept a trade to without needing a […]

Texans Defense Needs To Improve In Red Zone

The Houston Texans Defense inside the 20-yard line was last in the NFL in 2019. They also ranked 28th in total defense, 25th against the run and 29th against the pass, making them one of the league's worst all-around defensive teams. Yet somehow Houston went 10-6, won the AFC South and beat the Bills in […]

Buccaneers Running Game Must Improve

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers rank first in passing yards per game (285.3) since 2016, but they are 30th in rushing (95.5 yards per game) in that same span. Doug Martin was the team's last 1,000-yard rusher back in 2015, which is tied for fourth as the longest active drought in the NFL. The Bucs are […]

Trent Williams Signs Revised Contract

San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams passed his physical and officially signed his revised contract with the team on Friday. The deal allows Williams to advance half of his 2020 cash and guarantee it, according to a source. He's due $12.5 million this year, the final year of a five-year extension he signed with […]

At Least Two Bucs Players Test Positive For COVID-19

At least two Tampa Bay Buccaneers players have tested positive for COVID-19, according to sources. One of the team's coaches tested positive for the virus earlier this week and two other assistants have been quarantined. The Bucs join the growing list of teams around the league with positive COVID-19 tests, which has prompted the NFL […]

Players Association Recommends Players Stop Private Workouts

The NFL Players Association is recommending that players stop private group workouts until the start of training camps due to a rising number of positive COVID-19 cases around the nation. "We are working on the best mitigation procedures at team facilities for both training camps and the upcoming season, and believe that it is in […]

Two Angels Players Test Positive For COVID-19

The Los Angeles Angels learned that two players in their organization have tested positive for COVID-19, according to general manager Billy Eppler. Eppler would not specify if the players were major leaguers or minor leaguers, but they hadn't been working out either in Anaheim or at the team's spring training complex in Tempe, Arizona. The […]