NFL News Updates

Author: nfltalk

  • Saquon Barkley, Dexter Lawrence set to skip start of Giants’ 2023 offseason program, per reports

    Saquon Barkley, Dexter Lawrence set to skip start of Giants’ 2023 offseason program, per reports

    Two notable New York Giants players will be absent for the start of the team’s offseason program on Monday. Running back Saquon Barkley and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence will both sit out the start of OTAs over contract issues, according to multiple reports.

    Barkley has yet to sign the franchise tag he received in March. Not only that, but the star running back doesn’t intend to sign the tender, according to Newsday, and is therefore on track to skip the start of the Giants’ offseason program. Lawrence is set to miss the start of the Giants’ offseason program as he is entering the final year of his rookie deal, according to the New York Daily News. 

    Barkley would be guaranteed $10.09 million under the one-year tag, making him the eighth-highest paid player at his position alongside the Cowboys’ Tony Pollard and Raiders’ Josh Jacobs. Like Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, Barkley can technically negotiate with other teams under his tag, which is non-exclusive, but the Giants would have the option to match any offer.

    The RB was displeased with receiving the tag, according to Fox Sports, after long-term contract talks with the Giants did not progress. New York attempted to ink Barkley to a deal extending beyond 2023, per Ralph Vacchiano, but the two sides were far apart. The team apparently has no interest in resuming those talks at this time, and is content to proceed with the tag.

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  • Big Ten hires Tony Petitti as commissioner: League tabs former TV, MLB executive to replace Kevin Warren

    Big Ten hires Tony Petitti as commissioner: League tabs former TV, MLB executive to replace Kevin Warren

    The Big Ten has hired former television and Major League Baseball executive Tony Petitti to serve as its next commissioner, the conference announced on Wednesday. Petitti replaces former commissioner Kevin Warren, who took over as president of the Chicago Bears in January after negotiating a seven-year media rights deal for the Big Ten valued at approximately $1.2 billion annually. Petitti will begin his tenure as Big Ten commissioner on April 15. 

    Petitti has developed a storied career in the sports industry through the years. He took over as chief operating officer of Major League Baseball after Rob Manfred was elevated to commissioner of the league in 2015. Prior to that, Petitti served as president and chief executive officer of MLB Network, overseeing the launch the network and running day-to-day operations during its infancy. 

    He held the role until 2020 when he left to join Activision Blizzard in the roie of president of sports and entertainment. His primary focus at Activision Blizzard was oversight of the companies esports, consumer products and film and television ventures. 

    “At this important and transformational time in collegiate athletics, it is truly my great honor to be chosen by the council of presidents and chancellors as the commissioner of the Big Ten Conference,” Petitti said. “I am energized to work alongside the best athletics directors, coaches, conference staff and board in the country as — together — we continue to elevate the academic and athletic experiences and resources for our 14, soon-to-be 16, world-class universities with nearly 10,000 incredible student-athletes.

    Petitti was a titan at CBS Sports beginning in 1997 when he was hired away from ABC to serve as senior vice president of business affairs and…

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  • Seahawks hosting Troy C Jake Andrews

    Seahawks hosting Troy C Jake Andrews

    The Seattle Seahawks are in the business of trying to improve at center for the 2023 season. Last year, center Austin Blythe was the clear weak link in an otherwise vastly improved offensive line – thanks to the additions of rookie tackles Charles Cross and Abe Lucas.

    Well, the Seahawks won’t have to worry about Blythe since he retired after his lone season in Seattle. The Seahawks did make a move in free agency to replace and upgrade by signing former Detroit Lions center Evan Brown. While this was a good transaction, it appears Seattle is not quite finished with the position.

    Center Jake Andrews from Troy is a durable player who started 37 games for the Trojans in his career. Selecting this young man in the draft would seemingly do wonders to help with much-needed depth at a crucial position. Andrews’ NFL draft profile has this to say about him:

    “His inability to trigger his feet quickly and make fluid redirections in space show up in run blocking and pass protection, but his ability to square up and hold his own against a true nose tackle over the top of him is a valuable talent. Players with Andrews’ thickness and drive-blocking talent tend to find their way onto rosters and often end up sticking around.”

    Whatever direction the Seahawks go in, it’s clear they will likely still need to find a center in the 2023 NFL Draft.

    Story originally appeared on Seahawks Wire

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  • Paul Finebaum doubles down on Auburn’s need for a quarterback

    Paul Finebaum doubles down on Auburn’s need for a quarterback

    The quarterback battle at Auburn is one of the most anticipated not only in Auburn fans’ eyes but to college football fans across the country.

    After hearing less than soothing reports during spring practice, the weather at Saturday’s A-Day game did not do the quarterbacks any favors, as all three contenders combined to throw just 12 passes in the cold, dreary atmosphere at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

    In limited action, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze says that he saw some positives out of Robby Ashford, T.J. Finley, and Holden Geriner, but he also pointed out aspects of their game that he hopes to see improve.

    “I think you saw today that (Ashford) got the capability of making some plays. I thought he threw a really good seam ball in those conditions. I thought Holden (Geriner) threw some good balls. He missed a couple of reads on some RPOs I think. T.J. (Finley) did too. It’s kind of been that way all spring. Some real positives one day and some inconsistencies the next day. We’ve still got some time to help them improve, hopefully.”

    After watching the A-Day game on Saturday, radio show host and SEC Network personality Paul Finebaum shared his thoughts on the Birmingham radio show, McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning.

    He did not have much faith in Auburn’s quarterbacks before the game, and he remains true to his thoughts after watching the game.

    “It didn’t change much, and the conclusion is still the same: I think Auburn needs a quarterback,” Finebaum said. “I talked to Hugh Freeze on Friday before the game and you could tell he was saying the right things, but deep down, he knows quarterbacks and he knows he doesn’t have a quarterback on his roster that’s capable of getting Auburn out of the morass that it’s currently in and to the next level. So I think he’ll be pretty active in the portal.”

    The…

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  • Breaking down the NBA play-in tournament, plus who won the WNBA Draft?

    Breaking down the NBA play-in tournament, plus who won the WNBA Draft?

    Good morning to everyone but especially to…

    THE NBA PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT TEAMS

    Two playoff bids will be clinched tonight — and two other teams will be pushed to the brink — as the NBA Play-In Tournament opens with a pair of games:

    The winner of each game will be the No. 7 seed in their respective conferences. The loser will play the winner of tomorrow’s contests on Friday, and the winner of that game will claim the No. 8 seed. You can see all the details here.

    Let’s start with Timberwolves-Lakers, specifically Minnesota, because the biggest storyline is who won’t be there: Rudy Gobert has been suspended one game after punching teammate Kyle Anderson in the regular-season finale.

    Gobert will be available for the Timberwolves’ next game, whether that’s in the playoffs or in the play-in elimination game.The Timberwolves will also be without Jaden McDaniels after he fractured his hand punching a wall in frustration earlier in the game.Of note, Minnesota has played better recently with Gobert off the court. Over the last 10 games, they have a +5.7 net rating when he’s not playing; only the Celtics had a better net rating than that this season.

    The Lakers, on the other hand, are finally fully healthy and rolling. They’ve won nine of their last 11 games and are a unanimous pick to win by our experts. You can see all of our play-in picks here.

    In the first game, the Hawks are looking for some revenge after the Heat beat them in five games in the first round last year. Miami absolutely hounded Trae Young in that series, so Dejounte Murray has to step up, and Atlanta has to play fast, writes our Brad Botkin.

    Meanwhile, a big trade rumor surrounding Young popped up Monday.

    Honorable mentions

    And not such a good morning for…

    PAUL GEORGE AND THE LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

    The Clippers‘ daunting first-round task — taking down the Suns — just got a lot tougher. Paul George (knee) will miss the…

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  • Jersey numbers revealed for newly signed Jaguars players

    Jersey numbers revealed for newly signed Jaguars players

    The Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t make much of a splash in free agency, but the team did add a few players ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.

    Now the team has revealed what numbers those recently signed veterans will wear when they put on teal jerseys for the first time. Earlier in April, the Jaguars announced wide receiver Calvin Ridley — who was acquired during the 2022 season, but was ineligible to play due to a suspension — will wear the newly allowed No. 0 jersey.

    Nathan Rourke, a former Canadian Football League quarterback who signed with the Jaguars in January, will be the first quarterback in team history to wear the No. 18 jersey. Only wide receivers previously donned the number, including Matt Jones, Chris Conley, and Ace Sanders.

    Running back D’Ernest Johnson will inherit the No. 25 jersey that was left available after its previous owner, James Robinson, was traded to the New York Jets.

    Offensive tackle Josh Wells wore No. 72 during his first stint with the Jaguars, but that number now belongs to presumed starting right tackle Walker Little.

    More Jaguars news!

    Myles Jack inducted into Jacksonville Sports Hall of Fame

    Former Jaguars DT Corey Peters announces retirement

    Jaguars clear $5.1 million in space with Rayshawn Jenkins restructure

    Story originally appeared on Jaguars Wire

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  • WATCH: Deion Sanders meets Colorado mascot Ralphie for the first time

    WATCH: Deion Sanders meets Colorado mascot Ralphie for the first time

    Getty Images

    Hall of Famer Deion Sanders was named Colorado football coach in December, and he finally got around meeting Ralphie the Buffalo this week. Let’s just say it was an experience that he’ll never forget.

    Sanders’ nickname, Prime Time, was earned because he knows how to put on a show under pressure. However, meeting Ralphie seemed to be a lot scarier than playing in front of a full football stadium. As soon as the coach got inside Ralphie’s trailer, he decided to ease back and carefully examine his team’s mascot while he learned about how she likes to eat her favorite food out of people’s hands. 

    Sanders asked for gloves and admitted that hearing the word “careful” didn’t help him feel comfortable. He gathered up the courage to feed Ralphie a snack. She happily ate it and the coach was able to make another observation.

    “Lord, the tongue is like a brick,” Coach Prime said.

    Then came the real test. One of the program’s football traditions is Ralphie running onto the field before every game. Sanders hasn’t coached a game yet, so this was the perfect opportunity for him to see the live mascot in person. 

    Buffaloes fans are hopeful the two of them get more used to each other by the fall season. Colorado finished the 2022 season with a 1-11 overall record. Sanders, who coached at Jackson State for the past three seasons , is looking to turn the program around. He was the SWAC Coach of the Year in 2021 and 2022. Long before that, the eight-time Pro Bowler played 14 seasons in the NFL and earned two…

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  • Cowboys legend Daryl Johnston tabbed as new USFL president, excited as league enters Year 2 of rebrand

    Cowboys legend Daryl Johnston tabbed as new USFL president, excited as league enters Year 2 of rebrand

    The USFL will have a new president as it enters Year 2 of its rebrand. Daryl Johnston, a three-time Super Bowl champion during his playing days with the Dallas Cowboys, has been promoted from vice president to president. 

    Johnston, also a longtime analyst for the Fox NFL broadcast booth, takes over for Brian Woods, who stepped down as USFL president in order to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors. As vice president, Johnston played an integral role in the USFL becoming the first spring league in nearly 40 years to complete its season in 2022. 

    “I think that Year 1 was very successful,” Johnston recently said in an interview with CBS Sports. “I think more of what you’re trying to do is establish a stand-alone league that provides a non-traditional route back to the NFL. … We’re about football, we’re about the why, what motivates the guys, what you are trying to accomplish here and trying to do everything we can from a coaching and from an exposure standpoint to give them an opportunity to continue to chase that dream.”

    The league certainly achieved its goal last year of providing its players with NFL opportunities. Over 180 USFL players worked out for NFL teams last season, with over 50 players taking part in training camps. A number of them ended up on NFL rosters, with KaVontae Turpin, the USFL MVP last year, earning All-Pro honors with the Cowboys last season. 

    “The success of your model causes you to reload your workforce 25, 30, 35% every year,” Johnston said. 

    Fortunately for the USFL, both quarterbacks who played in last year’s league championship game — J’Mar Smith of the Birmingham Stallions and Case Cookus of the Philadelphia Stars — will be back for their respective teams. Mike Abernathy, a veteran safety who spent time last fall with the Packers and Falcons, is back patrolling the secondary for the Houston Gamblers. 

    After playing each of their regular-season games in…

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