Curtis Samuel Critical To Team's Success

Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady said that wide receiver Curtis Samuel "is going to be critical to our success." Brady will be Samuel's fourth offensive coordinator in as many seasons since he was the 40th overall pick in 2017. "I think Curtis is a playmaker. He fits the mold of what we're looking for […]

Rangers Sign First-Rounder Justin Foscue

The Texas Rangers signed their first-round pick (14th overall), second baseman Justin Foscue, for $3.25 million on Friday. The Mississippi State infielder signed for below slot value for the No. 14 pick ($4.0368 million). The 6-foot, 203-pounder provides plus power at the keystone from the right side of the plate and has a solid floor […]

Richie James Jr. Suffers Broken Wrist

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Richie James Jr. (wrist) broke a bone in his wrist while training recently and is likely to be sidelined at least two months, according to sources. This comes after it was announced that Deebo Samuel suffered a broken foot and could be a candidate for the Physically Unable to Perform […]

MLB Owners Upset With Players' Latest Proposal

Major League Baseball owners are so upset about the Players Association's latest proposal -- which is for around $300 million more -- that no response is expected to be immediate this week. The league proposed a 60-game season earlier this week, while the players countered with a 70-game schedule, $50 million in playoff bonuses and […]

Rays Agree With Alika Williams

The Tampa Bay Rays officially signed shortstop Alika Williams, the 37th overall pick in the competitive-balance portion of the first round, on Thursday. The slot value for the No. 37 pick is $1.993 million, but the financial details of Williams' deal were not disclosed. The Arizona State shortstop stands at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds and had […]

Miguel Sano Accused In Kidnapping Case

Minnesota Twins third baseman/first baseman Miguel Sano told a Dominican Republic newspaper that he's being blackmailed, having been accused of kidnapping and assault. “We will continue to monitor the situation and hope to have more as it becomes available,” Twins spokesman Dustin Morse said. Odalis Ramos, a lawyer, has accused Sano and three of his […]

Braves Sign First-Rounder Jared Shuster

The Atlanta Braves signed their first-rounder, Wake Forest left-handed pitcher Jared Shuster, for $2.197 million on Thursday. Shuster's deal was for under slot value for the 25th overall pick ($2.740 million). The southpaw showed improved control last summer in the Cape Cod League and his fastball too a jump in the spring to 92-97 mph. […]

Jamal Adams Requests Trade

New York Jets safety Jamal Adams has informed the team that he wants to be traded, according to a source. Adams claims he still hasn't received a contract proposal from the Jets that was promised in January and said, "Maybe it's time to move on!" in his Instagram post on Thursday. The All-Pro safety is […]

Panthers Defense In Rebuilding Phase

Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Phil Snow, 64, knows he has his work cut out for him in 2020 as he tries to rebuild a once-proud defensive unit that allowed 29.4 points per game in 2019 -- second-most in the NFL. Snow is installing an entirely new system virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic, too. The […]

Deebo Samuel Suffers Broken Foot

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (foot) suffered a broken foot during a throwing session on Tuesday with teammates in Nashville, Tennessee, and is undergoing surgery on Thursday, according to a source. It's a Jones fracture. Dr. Robert Anderson will perform the surgery, and Samuel should be able to return in 12 to 16 […]

Josh Gordon Applies For Reinstatement

Free-agent wide receiver Josh Gordon applied for reinstatement on Wednesday, according to a source. The 29-year-old has been running routes in Seattle and is preparing for his return to the NFL. The hope is that his indefinite suspension is lifted in time for training camp in July. Gordon violated the league's substance-abuse policy yet again […]

Players Union Proposing Schedule Of Around 70 Games

Updating an ongoing story, the Major League Baseball Players Association has finalized a proposal to the league for a season in the neighborhood of 70 games, according to sources. The season would run from July 19 to Sept. 30 and would include full pro-rated salaries and $50 million in playoff bonuses. It would also include […]

Nick Foles, Mitchell Trubisky Need To Bring Energy

Chicago Bears quarterbacks Nick Foles and Mitchell Trubisky, who will be competing for the starting job in training camp, will need to bring plenty of energy to the battle this summer. Quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo said he's looking for "juice" at the position. DeFilippo spent the 2017 season in Philly with Foles and the 2019 […]

Kyler Murray Can Improve Under Pressure

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray wasn't pressured often in his rookie season, but when he was, he was among the league's worst. Murray had a negative-19 completion percentage under expectation when pressured and a passer rating of just 42.3 in those scenarios. However, he only attempted 29 passes under pressure last season. The Offensive Rookie […]

Chase Edmonds Is Explosive

Arizona Cardinals running back Chase Edmonds had 20 rushes of 15-plus mph on just 59 carries last year, resulting in the highest percentage of explosive runs (minimum of 50 rushes) in the entire league. Edmonds had 303 rushing yards and four touchdowns in 13 games (two starts) last year for the Cardinals. As long as […]

Kenyan Drake Expects Big Things From Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals running back Kenyan Drake expects the Cardinals to make some noise in 2020 after going 5-10-1 in 2019 in head coach Kliff Kingsbury's first season at the helm. "I feel like the hype is warranted, to be honest," Drake said during an appearance on Good Morning Football on Thursday. "I feel like we're […]

Players Want More Than 60-Game Season

Following a four-hour negotiation in Arizona between MLB commissioner and union executive director Tony Clark on Wednesday, the league believed the framework of a deal had been agreed upon, according to sources. But the union disagreed and players said they view the 60-game schedule proposal as too short. Absent a deal, the league has the […]

Kareem Jackson Tests Positive For COVID-19

Denver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a source. Jackson has cold-like symptoms but expects to make a full recovery. Teammate Von Miller acknowledged that he tested positive earlier this spring, but he's already made a full recovery and should be completely fine for training camp. Several other NFL players […]

Spring Training 2.0 Could Start By June 29

If Major League Baseball and the Players Association can complete their negotiations by this Friday, the plan is for players to report to spring training 2.0 by June 29, with three full weeks of spring training before the 2020 season would begin. Most teams would train in their own home cities before starting the regular […]

Xavien Howard Won't Be Suspended

The NFL will not suspend Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard for the start of the 2020 season because of a domestic-violence charge last December. The state dropped his charge in February. The decision will allow Howard and big free-agent pickup Byron Jones to begin the season on the field together. The 26-year-old Howard was put […]

Darren Waller Thinks Raiders Could Have Top-Five Offense

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller thinks his team's improved offense could be a top-five unit in the NFL this year. "The big thing for us is finishing in the red zone this year. I know that we’re doing everything in our power to improve upon that. I don’t feel like having a top-five […]

Royce Freeman's Place On Depth Chart Not Secure

Denver Broncos running back Royce Freeman's role as the No. 3 back behind Melvin Gordon III and Phillip Lindsay isn't secure heading into training camp, in the opinion of The Denver Post's Ryan O'Halloran. If that's the case, he'll be competing with the likes of Khalfani Muhammad and undrafted rookie Levante Bellamy. That's a big […]

Chargers Interested In Colin Kaepernick?

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said the team is happy with their three quarterbacks -- Tyrod Taylor, rookie Justin Herbert and Easton Stick -- but that Kaepernick "definitely fits the style of quarterback for the system we're going to be running." It sounds as though Kap is on the Chargers' emergency workout list […]

Jaguars Aren't A True 3-4 Defense

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Todd Wash pumped the brakes on the team transitioning from a 4-3 defensive scheme to a 3-4 scheme this year. "We're not a true 3-4 or two-gap team," Wash said recently. "That's not how we're built up front – or the size of our unit – to do that." Versatility from […]

T.J. Hockenson Not Quite 100 Percent

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said that tight end T.J. Hockenson (ankle) has resumed running routes but isn't quite 100 percent healthy yet after suffering a season-ending ankle injury last November. However, Bevell said Hockenson is "well on his way to being there" and that the team is comfortable with his progress. Barring a […]

Justin Jefferson Will Play The Slot "Quite A Bit"

Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak said that rookie wide receiver Justin Jefferson will "move inside quite a bit." "That's something he's exceptional at," Kubiak said. It means that Adam Thielen will see more time on the outside with Stefon Diggs now in Buffalo. Jefferson had 109 catches (second-most in a single season since 2014), […]

Sam Darnold Throwing With Saquon Barkley

New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold was seen on social media throwing passes to New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley. Players have had to get creative this offseason with no in-person organized team activities or minicamps thanks to the coronavirus, so it's not a surprise to see Darnold throwing with a player from another […]

Graham Gano To Compete With Joey Slye

Carolina Panthers kicker Graham Gano, who missed all of last season with a left leg injury, is set to compete with Joey Slye for the job this summer in training camp. Slye filled in last year and made 78.1 percent of his kicks (23rd in the league) and missed four extra points. Gano, 33, is […]

MLB Sends New Proposal To Players

Major League Baseball has sent a new proposal to the Players Association on Wednesday, sources told ESPN.com's Jeff Passan. No deal is done yet, but commissioner Rob Manfred and union chief Tony Clark have met and made significant progress in negotiations for a 2020 season. The league knows players must get full pro rata, and […]

Parker Brahms Agrees With Pittsburgh As Undrafted Free Agent

The Pittsburgh Pirates agreed to terms with Sacramento State right-handed pitcher Parker Brahms following the conclusion of the 2020 MLB draft last week. Due to the shortened draft this year, all 30 teams may sign an unlimited number of high school and college players who went undrafted for a maximum of $20,000 each. Brahms returned […]