Haaland, Foden & Co are back to kick-off a new season
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Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rookie Fairchild making strides on offensive line as Bengals set to face Eagles in preseason opener
CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Dylan Fairchild in April with the expectation that he would be their starting left guard when the season opens on Sept. 7 in Cleveland. During the first two weeks of training camp, Fairchild has looked every bit like a starter. Fairchild and the rest of Cincinnati's expected starters should get at least one quarter of action during Thursday's preseason opener at Philadelphia. 'If you're gonna be in there with the ones, you better be up to par. So we better just expedite that growth and learning curve," offensive line coach Scott Peters said about Fairchild. 'For most of the guys from college, it's like they got to forget about what you did there. It like two different games, checkers and chess. Don't go out there like a meathead and try to head bang somebody because it won't work. So he's done a really nice job getting those things corrected." Fairchild started 14 games at Georgia last season and was a Associated Press All-America second-team selection. Fairchild was a teammate of Bengals right tackle Amarius Mims at Georgia from 2021-23. The consensus among scouts during the draft process was that he was a physical pass protector, which was sorely needed after Joe Burrow was sacked 48 times last season, tied for fourth most in the league. Fairchild — who admitted he is still adjusting to the speed of the pro game and refining his footwork — has embraced the expectations for him to contribute immediately. 'I love being here to provide value for this team. They believed in me and I believe in them,' Fairchild said. 'Now, it's us together working for one common goal. It's just continuously improving. You better come here with your head on straight every single day because if you don't, you get exposed. The stakes are shown." Lucas Patrick signed with the Bengals in free agency and is penciled in as the starter at right guard. Of Patrick's 64 career NFL starts, 37 have come at guard with 17 on the right side. He started 11 games at left guard for New Orleans last season. Cordell Volson, who is entering his fourth season, has 51 starts in three seasons with the Bengals, but struggled at left guard. Cody Ford offers versatility at either tackle or guard. In addition to the guard spots, right tackle is a concern as Mims has battled a wide array of injuries since being drafted in the first round last year. Rookie Jalen Rivers, taken in the fifth round in April's draft, should get plenty of snaps on Thursday. Coach Zac Taylor has stressed for the past eight months that his starters will receive plenty of playing time in the preseason in order to try and prevent another slow start. Cincinnati was 9-8 last season but dropped four of its first five games. Taylor said on Tuesday the first unit could play into the second quarter if there is a long drive on either side of the ball in the first 15 minutes. 'We don't have this targeted for our biggest play time for all of our guys. We picked (Aug. 18 at) Washington to be able to do that,' Taylor said. 'I think just those 11 guys being in the huddle on both sides of the ball and all the communication that's got to occur. It's just a good opportunity for those guys to get some additional reps.' ___ AP NFL:
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Watch: Drake Maye beats Commanders defense with high-level throw
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and wide receiver Kayshon Boutte hooked up for a touchdown during Wednesday's joint practice with the Washington Commanders. It was one of the best plays of the practice. Maye made a perfect back shoulder throw, and Boutte made the adjustment to snag the ball for a touchdown. The Maye-Boutte connection is nothing new. The duo hooked up for several big plays last season as well. Boutte proved to be one of the Patriots' more reliable receivers with 43 catches for 589 yards and three touchdowns. That was a significant improvement from his rookie season, when he caught only two passes for 19 yards. He could look to take on a bigger role on offense in his third NFL season. Hopefully, the early flashes in training camp bode well for the regular season. The Patriots need all of the help they can get at receiver, and so far, even with 11 wideouts on the roster, Boutte has been among the top options for Maye on the practice field. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook. This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Watch: Drake Maye beats Commanders defense with high-level throw
New York Times
27 minutes ago
- New York Times
Interim NFLPA executive director David White to players: Rebuilding ‘damaged trust' a top priority
In his first communication with NFL players since his appointment as interim director of the NFL Players Association, David White expressed gratitude for the opportunity to help provide stability to the players union. The former SAG-AFTRA union leader also attempted to convey an understanding of the responsibilities he has inherited, and the heavy lifting ahead as he and NFLPA leaders work to help the union regain its footing. Advertisement The NFLPA board of representatives elected White as the interim executive director late Sunday night, following a three-week process that began after Lloyd Howell Jr. resigned amid a firestorm of controversy over potential conflicts of interest, mismanagement, and the improper use of NFLPA funds. White, who served as national executive director and lead negotiator of the Screen Actors Guild from 2009 to 2021, was a finalist for the NFLPA job in 2023, but lost out to Howell, who appealed to players because of his business acumen as a former chief financial officer of Booz Allen Hamilton. NFLPA leaders vowed to take their time in selecting the interim director and eventually settled on White, passing over several popular in-house options. In his letter to players, of which The Athletic obtained a copy, White said, 'I want to thank you for entrusting me with helping to guide and lead your union during this critical time. I'll be visiting you in person throughout the season and look forward to hearing directly from you.' He went on to express his understanding of the magnitude of the position because of his experience with previous high-profile labor unions and his knowledge of the NFLPA and pro football. 'This union's mission is simple: to protect and empower you. To do that effectively, we must be united with clear priorities, transparent communication and consistent actions that demonstrate our understanding of what you need and want,' White wrote. He went on to lay out the most immediate priorities that he feels compelled to address, most notably restoring player confidence in the union, addressing time-sensitive challenges and laying the groundwork for a successful transition to a permanent union leader. White wrote, 'Recent events have damaged trust between many of you and this organization. That trust isn't something we're entitled to — it's something we must earn through consistent action. You deserve a union that operates professionally, communicates clearly and makes decisions that put your interests first. Rebuilding that confidence is my top priority, and it will be measured not by what we say, but by how we perform.' Interim NFLPA executive director David White sent this letter out to the player body today. He seems to understand the heavy lifting ahead as the player union aims to regain stability. — Mike Jones (@ByMikeJones) August 6, 2025 White expressed his intention to meet with the player bodies of each team to gain a better understanding of the top concerns and priorities in their minds. (It's customary that the executive director spends the first part of the preseason and regular season touring the league for face-to-face meetings with the locker rooms of each team.) Advertisement 'The challenges facing professional football players today require the same strategic thinking and collective wisdom that built this union's past successes,' he wrote. 'Meeting those challenges effectively is the work we begin now.' It's unclear what timeline the NFLPA executive committee plans to operate under while searching for a long-term solution at executive director. However, it's believed that they could wait until after the conclusion of the season to hold an election for the permanent position. In other NFLPA-related news, the union on Wednesday also sent a message to players in an attempt to provide clarity regarding the NFL-issued memo announcing a new measure that will prohibit teams from providing players with ammonia products such as smelling salts. The NFLPA message read, 'The NFL Players Association is aware of the memo issued by the league Tuesday regarding the use of smelling salts and ammonia capsules. We were not notified of this club policy change before the memo was sent out. To clarify, this policy does not prohibit player use of these substances, but rather it restricts clubs from providing or supplying them in any form. The NFL has confirmed this to us. If you have any questions, please reach out to your player director.' Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
