Boston Red Sox trade Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in a blockbuster deal
The Boston Red Sox traded Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday in a blockbuster deal.
The Giants sent right-hander Jordan Hicks, lefty Kyle Harrison, outfield prospect James Tibbs III and minor league righty Jose Bello to the Red Sox for the 28-year-old designated hitter, who had bristled at his demotion from third base this year.
The Giants were one game behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers heading into Sunday night's matchup between the NL West rivals. San Francisco shortstop Willy Adames said on the ESPN broadcast that the team found out about 15 minutes before the game.
'Everybody's so excited,' he said in an on-field interview while playing the field in the second inning. 'Me, personally, I'm like thrilled to have him on the team. He's one of the best hitters in the game, and to have him on the team, I think is going to help us do a lot of damage in the division. Obviously we need a bat like him in this lineup.'
A three-time All-Star who signed a 10-year, $313.5 million contract with the Red Sox in 2023, Devers is batting .272 with 15 homers and 58 RBIs in 73 games, including a solo shot in Boston's 2-0 victory over the New York Yankees on Sunday that completed a three-game sweep.
But his relationship with the team began to deteriorate when the team signed Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman during spring training and asked Devers to move to DH; he balked before agreeing to the switch. When first baseman Triston Casas sustained a season-ending knee injury, the Red Sox approached Devers about playing the field and he declined, saying the front office ' should do their jobs ' and look for another player.
A day after Devers' comments to the media about playing first, Red Sox owner John Henry, team president Sam Kennedy and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow flew to Kansas City to meet with Devers and manager Alex Cora.
Bregman has been out since May 23 with a strained right quadriceps, similar to his left quad strain that cost him 58 games for the Houston Astros in 2021.
The situation became more difficult when Bregman sustained what the team called a significant right quadriceps injury on May 23.
'Everybody around the league, I think, was paying attention to that. When any team is having some kind of drama like that, with a player like Devers — he basically was the face of the franchise,' Adames said before he was interrupted by Tommy Edman's home run that gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.
'We're thrilled to have him. Everybody's excited. So we're going to make him feel at home,' Adames said. 'I feel like it sends a message that we're going to compete. That we're going to do whatever it takes to come over here and win the division.'
The Red Sox improved to 37-36 with their three-game sweep against New York. But they are fourth in the AL East, trailing the division-leading Yankees by 6 1/2 games.
Devers first signed with Boston as an international free agent in August 2013. He was 20 when he made his major league debut with the Red Sox on July 25, 2017.
He helped the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series and led the team in RBIs for five consecutive seasons from 2020-24. He has finished in the top 20 in voting for AL MVP five times.
Devers is not the first Red Sox All-Star to be traded away: The team sent Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2020 season in a salary dump – just a year after he won the AL MVP award and led Boston to a franchise-record 108 wins and its fourth World Series title since 2004.
But the Devers deal is perhaps most reminiscent of the 2004 midseason shakeup when Boston traded disgruntled shortstop — and fan favorite — Nomar Garciaparra to Minnesota.
The Red Sox went on to win the World Series that year, ending their 86-year championship drought.
This is the latest big move by Buster Posey, a seven-time All-Star who took over as San Francisco's president of baseball operations in September. He signed Justin Verlander to a $15 million, one-year contract in January and Adames to a $182 million, seven-year deal in December.
'It makes them better right now, for sure,' Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw said in a TV interview from the dugout at Dodger Stadium. 'Buster Posey's really doing it. Good for Buster over there. He's going for it. I'd consider Raffy one of the top 10 hitters in the game, at worst. He's definitely a game-changer. It will be interesting to see what position he plays over there.'
Harrison, 23, is 9-9 with a 4.48 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 39 games for the Giants over three seasons. Hicks, 28, was 5-12 with a 4.83 ERA and 139 strikeouts in 42 games over two seasons. Tibbs, 22, was the 13th overall pick in last year's draft; he is hitting .246 with 12 homers and 32 RBIs in 57 games for Single-A Eugene of the Northwest League this season. Bello, 20, is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in eight games for the Giants' rookie league team in Scottsdale, Arizona.
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New York Times
41 minutes ago
- New York Times
Efton Chism was the darling of the Patriots' spring. Now, can he make the team?
Editor's note: This is the first story in a 10-part series looking at the most intriguing New England Patriots players ahead of training camp. It's almost a little too on the nose that the Patriots player stealing headlines and turning heads in spring practices is an unheralded, undersized slot receiver from a small school. Advertisement But it's not hyperbole to say that no player did more to improve his standing on the depth chart than Efton Chism. To put it another way, when we came up with the idea for this series in which we'd zoom in on 10 important players ahead of training camp, Chism wasn't even in consideration. Now he's kicking it off. Mike Vrabel praised the 23-year-old as 'a talented player' who is dedicated and 'studied extremely hard.' The head coach noted that it doesn't take long to figure out which receivers quarterbacks trust — 'it's the ones they target,' he said. That clearly means Drake Maye already trusts Chism, given their work together this spring and the 50 catches Maye estimated Chism made. So as the hype train rolls on for the 5-foot-10 receiver, let's look at how Chism got here, what the future might hold and whether this might just be fool's gold in spring sessions that favor receivers. Chism didn't start playing football until eighth grade. Before that, he focused on baseball and basketball. But he quickly took to football. He and his family watched Eastern Washington games, which meant he was frequently watching Cooper Kupp as a kid. His level of comfort with the program is part of the reason he chose to attend college there. Chism broke out as a sophomore, notching 735 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games, while kicking off a streak of 53 straight games with at least one catch, a mark that broke Kupp's FCS record. He's a slick route runner who easily got open against defenders and led all of the FCS in catches last season with 120 in 12 games. Chism's chances of getting drafted were dampened when he ran a 4.71-second 40-yard dash, but he posted elite numbers in the short shuttle and three-cone drill, which speak to his shiftiness. After going undrafted, he had a number of suitors and signed with the Patriots on a deal that guaranteed him $234,000, a massive haul for an undrafted player. A week away from the draft and even in a deeper WR class, really excited to see where @EWUFootball WR Efton Chism lands. Elite short shuttle (4.06) and three cone (6.77) make up for perceived lack of top-end speed. Here's him as compared to Trent Taylor (5th round pick), Jeremy… — Eric Galko (@EricGalko) April 18, 2025 From the first practice, it was evident Chism was different. Typically, coaches are slow to elevate rookies. But by the time OTAs were halfway complete, Chism was already getting reps with Maye after starting with the third-team offense. He seems like a perfect fit for Josh McDaniels' scheme, which has always utilized shifty slot receivers. McDaniels' offense seems to make up for Chism's lack of top-end speed by having him find soft spots in the coverage and running a bunch of underneath crossing routes. Advertisement Now, it's worth noting that Vrabel wanted cornerbacks to pull up and not go for 50-50 balls during spring practices, but those practices still couldn't have gone much better for Chism. Even if Chism continues to play well in training camp, he has a long way to go to overtake DeMario Douglas on the depth chart. Douglas is the same kind of player as Chism but has more of a track record (he had 621 yards last season) and a lot more speed (he ran a 4.44-second 40). Given the nature of slot receivers, it's unlikely both Douglas and Chism would ever be on the field at the same time. So even if Chism looks more likely than not to make the team at this point, he's still likely to be stuck behind Douglas on the depth chart. Head coaches typically don't hand out the kind of praise in the spring that Vrabel did for Chism. Same for quarterbacks. That's a sign that Chism is more than just a spring darling who will get overwhelmed when the pads come on. If anything, it might be more impressive that Chism was so quickly making an impact in a McDaniels offense that has historically been difficult for rookie receivers to learn. Another reason for optimism is the lack of other options on the depth chart. We're still a long way from cutdown day, but in this rebuild, it seems like Chism brings more long-term potential than a veteran like Kendrick Bourne. Rookie receivers almost always struggle in the first few practices, but Chism's route running was so precise that he was quickly getting open. That could be an especially important trait if the Patriots offensive line struggles and Maye has to quickly get the ball out. As Vrabel stressed several times, OTAs and minicamp are really just a passing clinic. In that environment, shifty slot receivers should stand out. So with Chism, there are two legit concerns. The first is his speed. While he's great in short areas, you'd still like to have slot receivers with some speed — and Douglas is significantly faster. Julian Edelman ran a 4.52-second 40, which is meaningfully faster than Chism. (Edelman also tested much better than Chism in explosive drills like the broad jump and vertical jump.) Advertisement The other area of concern is Chism's durability. He stayed healthy in college, but the physicality in the NFL is a far cry from what he experienced at the FCS level. One of the ugly truths for undrafted guys is you have to stay healthy in training camp to have a chance, so that'll factor into Chism's odds of making the roster, too. In short, can Chism keep this up? If the 53-man roster were based solely on spring practices, Chism would be on the team. But things ramp up in a big way when the pads come on. Can he provide anything as a run blocker? Can he stay healthy? Does his lack of straight-end speed hurt him? Those are all fair questions and reasons to not just pencil Chism onto the roster. Besides, those spring sessions are tailor-made for a player like him. But at the same time, you couldn't have asked for much more than he provided this spring.
New York Times
43 minutes ago
- New York Times
Seven Panthers minicamp takeaways: Bryce Young's growth, tough WR decisions, secondary help
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After Carolina Panthers second-year coach Dave Canales turned players loose at the end of last week's mandatory minicamp, offensive linemen Ikem Ekwonu, Robert Hunt and Ja'Tyre Carter sprinted off the field, hopped into a golf cart and were on their way to a 5 1/2-week break. Canales hopes players will do more things like sprinting and less lounging between now and reporting day for training camp in the third week of July. Advertisement 'The biggest thing they have to realize is your vacation was after the season. You had three months off,' Canales said following the final minicamp practice. 'We're in a ramp now to training camp. So with these five weeks, you have a week of kind of reloading, then you've got to just kick back up into your training and build off of the strength and the fitness that we have.' That lean at the end 🤣 — Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) June 12, 2025 After a five-win season in Canales' first year and a productive spring, he doesn't want to start from scratch in training camp, which will feature joint practices with the Cleveland Browns in Charlotte and the Texans in Houston. 'So that was my biggest message — readiness for camp. You can't count on camp to get you in shape,' Canales added. 'The nature of it, the mandatory days off, we have to be able to take advantage of every single practice.' As players scattered to their summer homes, vacation destinations and the gym (Canales hopes), The Athletic looks at seven takeaways from Panthers' OTAs and minicamp. Not to make too much of nine practices in May and June in shorts and helmets, but the spring sessions seemed to have a little more juice than during Canales' first year in Carolina. No one was supposed to be hitting, but a couple of players ended up on the ground. There were a couple of mini-skirmishes and lots of trash talking, much of it coming from Jaycee Horn and Chuba Hubbard. The intensity extended to the coaching staff: Canales showed up to last Wednesday's media session with a raspy voice. 'It feels like camp. A lot of meetings, a lot of practice, kind of yelling and chasing guys,' he said. 'Just trying to add to the energy of it.' Canales planned to drink some honey-infused lemon water to soothe his throat. And while Thursday's final practice was a bit calmer, it still resulted in a scrap between reserve offensive lineman Brandon Walton and backup edge rusher Thomas Incoom. Advertisement Quarterback Bryce Young also got into the jawing, showing off a side the public hasn't seen from the third-year quarterback. It was just a year ago that Jadeveon Clowney called Young a 'quiet guy' who could stand to play with more energy. Veteran wideout Adam Thielen viewed the trash talking and spirited practices — from Young and everyone else — as progress. 'I think it just talks about our team. We're a bunch of guys that want it. I think guys are finally sick of being the same old, same old Carolina Panthers,' Thielen said. 'I think we want to get back to what they did here in the past in 2015 and some of those other years when they had deep playoff runs and had the crowd involved and the city hyped up. We haven't had that.' Young talked this spring about the benefits of entering a second season in the same offense following a tumultuous rookie year that included what felt like a new play caller every few weeks. Young's confidence and comfort zone in Canales' system were evident during an 11-on-11, red-zone drill Wednesday, when he carved up the first-team defense. Young twice found Xavier Legette in the end zone, then ended the day by finding David Moore in a crowd of defenders for a 2-point conversion. Canales even threw in a trick play as he continues to shape his offense around Young's strengths. 'I think the pace of our offensive development, evolution is growing at the pace of Bryce,' Canales said. 'And he's showing such great mastery of what we're doing that he's allowing us to really push the envelope and do more things.' Young wasn't perfect. The 2023 No. 1 pick tossed a couple of interceptions last week, including a leaping pick by Mike Jackson on Thursday in what was a better day for the defense. But Young picked up where he left off at the end of 2024, which should bode well for '25. Canales said it's too soon to name a leader in the kicking competition. But Fitzgerald, an undrafted free agent from Florida State, appears to have the edge on veteran Matthew Wright, based on how each looked during the practices open to the media. After a tough first week in rainy and windy conditions, Fitzgerald was 9-for-10 on field goals on the skinny goal posts over the next two practices with reporters present. Advertisement Meanwhile, Wright went 3-for-5 last Wednesday, missing on both of his longer attempts. Wright's last try — from about 52 yards — was both wide right and a bit short. 'Too early to tell,' Canales said of the kicking battle. 'Let's get a real rush out there. Let's have them kicking in games, and we'll be able to make the decision.' There's no reason not to let this play out through the first couple of preseason games. But the early returns favor Fitzgerald. There were signs during the rookie minicamp that this could be a different draft class. Just ask the employees at the uptown Charlotte hotel who poked their heads into a meeting room where first-year edge rushers Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen were reviewing their defensive responsibilities while using chairs as offensive linemen. Canales said in April he had run through hundreds of simulations in mock drafts and never landed on one in which the Panthers took wideout Tetairoa McMillan, Scourton and Umanmielen with the first three picks. McMillan missed the final two minicamp practices with a leg issue, but Scourton and Umanmielen received a lot of work at a position where a couple of veterans were sidelined, and Clowney is no longer on the team. Among the other rookies, former Notre Dame tight end Mitchell Evans saw his learning curve accelerated after Tommy Tremble's back surgery last month. Jimmy Horn was limited with a hamstring injury, but the ex-Colorado wideout, with his speed and return ability, will be someone to watch at training camp. 'I think that this is one of the best rookie groups I've been around in terms of their attention to detail, their study habits, their body prep,' Canales said. 'They're doing things that six-, seven-, eight-year veterans do before and after practice. They're curious. It's a curious bunch.' Advertisement The Panthers went into Week 1 last year with only five receivers on the active roster, then brought Jalen Coker up from the practice squad a few weeks later after Thielen was injured at Las Vegas. Canales hasn't said how many wideouts he expects to keep this year, but thinks the competition for the last couple of spots will be 'very difficult.' Thielen agrees. 'For the first time since I've been here, you look around the room and I don't know who's gonna make the team. And that's a great thing,' he said. Thielen, McMillan and Legette are locks. Horn likely is, too, given that the sixth-round pick could well be the punt returner. That leaves veterans Hunter Renfrow, Dan Chisena and Moore competing with younger players like Coker and undrafted free agent Jacolby George fighting for the final spot or two. 'Special teams is going to be such a huge piece of that puzzle. How can these guys help us in the coverage units? Can they help us as a returner?' Canales said. 'That's the part where we get to challenge our guys to find a role, take this thing seriously. 'You're not here just to catch passes. We only get so many helmets on game day, so we need all of you guys to contribute in different ways.'' There's a good chance general manager Dan Morgan adds to the defensive backfield. But the Panthers aren't inclined to pursue free-agent cornerbacks Jaire Alexander or Jalen Ramsey, who could be headed to a reunion with the Los Angeles Rams. Still, improving the corner depth would be advisable. The two safeties the Panthers had in for visits in March — Julian Blackmon and Marcus Williams — both remain unsigned but figure to be in camps at some point in August. If it's between those two, Blackmon is the better choice after ranking 23rd among 171 safeties in Pro Football Focus' coverage grades last year, when Williams ranked 162nd. Another potential option could be free-agent safety Justin Simmons, who led the league with six interceptions with Denver in 2022 when Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero held the same title with the Broncos. Simmons, who had two picks in 16 starts last year in Atlanta, also has been linked to the reigning Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles. Advertisement Meanwhile, a couple of the Panthers' second-year defensive backs had solid showings. Cornerback Shemar Bartholomew, claimed off waivers from the New York Jets last August, had a pair of interceptions while Chau Smith-Wade received reps at corner, nickel and safety. Horn was impressed with the jump Smith-Wade made in the spring. 'I think he's been the most impressive player from OTAs just 'cause how fast he got the defense in one year,' Horn said. 'He's out there making the calls for the safeties. … He's lining up everywhere. He's just making a lot of plays. And the communication's the biggest thing for me — a second-year player communicating like that.' The Panthers weren't taking any chances with some key players, erring on the side of caution when McMillan got kicked in the leg while going down for a ball in Tuesday's first practice. McMillan had swelling in his leg, but Canales said the first-round pick was 'fine.' Outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum was held out of team drills with a back issue. Derrick Brown, the Pro Bowl defensive end, was limited to walk-throughs and light side work coming off September knee surgery. Brown plans to stay in Charlotte this summer to continue his rehab with the hopes of being ready for the start of camp. Tremble could start camp on the physically unable to perform list, while edge rusher Amare Barno's status is also in question after a clean-out procedure on his knee. But the Panthers appeared to avoid any serious injuries before the summer break. (Top photo of Bryce Young: Jim Dedmon / Imagn Images)
New York Times
44 minutes ago
- New York Times
Steelers OTAs/ minicamp takeaways: Defense evolving, position battle updates
PITTSBURGH — Wearing dark sweat pants and a hoodie in the middle of June, new Steelers defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander jogged off the field with a purpose following the last practice of the offseason. The 40-year-old former NFL safety rejoined the Steelers in February after a one-year stint with the Las Vegas Raiders. At the time, it might have been easy to overlook the shakeup as a minor tweak to the coaching staff. But during OTAs and minicamp, Alexander was nearly impossible to miss. Advertisement 'He's a guy who's played the game,' safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said. 'He doesn't just know the X's and O's of the playbook; he knows the ins and outs of the game. He knows how to put us in position to not just execute our playbook, but make plays.' Alexander's hands-on approach and energetic coaching style aren't the only things that are new on the Steelers' defense. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said that the Steelers have made several changes to their personnel and schematics after the highly compensated unit allowed 27.4 points per game over the final four weeks of the regular season and the playoff loss. Two of those five losses came at the hands of the rival Baltimore Ravens. 'We had a Baltimore problem last year,' Austin said. 'There's no way to get around it. They ran the ball down our throats, and we have to fix that if we want to contend in this division.' While rookie defensive tackle Derrick Harmon's addition should bolster the run defense, and the Juan Thornhill signing should allow the Steelers to lean more into their three-safety packages, Pittsburgh's problems went beyond Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson. The other main problem? Miscommunications and missed assignments, which popped up most often against opponents like the Ravens and Chiefs, who like to flood zones with stacks, bunches and the en vogue 4×1 formation (which puts the running back on the same side as a trips formation, giving the offense four eligible receivers to one side). Isaiah Likely and the @Ravens jump out in front. 📺: #PITvsBAL on FOX📱: Stream on #NFLPlus — NFL (@NFL) December 21, 2024 'Those are the things that are trending,' Austin said. 'The 4×1 stuff and bunches, (the offense is) trying to confuse you so you don't get right on the guys right away.' That's where the schematic changes come in. Whether the new ideas came from Alexander himself or from the top, the new defensive backs coach was often responsible for the hands-on installs during OTAs and minicamp. Advertisement 'We're throwing in a couple new calls,' second-year defensive back Beanie Bishop said. 'Some new zones, a couple new mans and a couple new blitzes and things like that. … Obviously, teams aren't going to be prepared for certain things, like, 'Oh, we've never seen the Steelers run this.'' While Bishop didn't explicitly say what those changes will be, last year's tendencies provide clues. In 2024, the defense played a ton of single-high coverages that put Fitzpatrick in center field as the post safety. According to Pro Football Focus, Cover 3 was the Steelers' primary coverage, utilized on 38.4 percent of snaps (eighth-highest rate). Man coverage with one high safety was the second most common, played on 29.6 percent of snaps (fifth-highest rate). The Steelers also sprinkled in Cover 2 on about 12 percent of snaps (20th) and some other split-field coverages like Cover 6 (quarter, quarter, half). One coverage the Steelers didn't play a lot was quarters, or Cover 4 — a four-deep zone defense that has gained popularity in recent years. According to PFF, the Steelers played quarters at the second-lowest rate in the league (5.5 percent). Interestingly, they were the most effective team in the league when they did, producing a 0.28 EPA per play. That could change this year. It may not be a total makeover, but it is another tool in the toolbox. Why play more quarters? • One of the strengths of quarters is that it is malleable, allowing for various adjustments and checks to match the offensive formations. While quarters is time-intensive to teach initially, the coverage is self-regulating once players know the rules. That should help streamline communication. It's worth noting the Philadelphia Eagles played quarters at the sixth-highest rate in the league last year and obviously did a much better job than the Steelers at handling the Chiefs' unbalanced formations. The Steelers don't play the Chiefs in the regular season but will see plenty of 4×1, stacks and bunches against the Packers, Ravens, Colts and others. Advertisement • Adding quarters to their toolbox should also allow the Steelers to disguise more of their coverages. For a man-heavy team like Pittsburgh, quarters can often look like man coverage pre-snap. • This change should also benefit Fitzpatrick. He may be the defensive player with the most experience in quarters, as former Alabama coach Nick Saban helped popularize the defense at the college level. In some of these new looks, Fitzpatrick's role will evolve, as he goes from primarily a post safety to a more versatile defender. As we wait to see how the defense continues to evolve during training camp, here are more takeaways from OTAs and minicamp. Before the Steelers got Aaron Rodgers' signature on a one-year contract, Bishop had it on a pair of footballs. As an undrafted rookie out of West Virginia, Bishop intercepted the future Hall of Famer twice in a 37-15 victory last October. At a news conference after the game, he made a public request for Rodgers to sign the keepsakes. Rodgers agreed. The Steelers mailed the footballs to New York, where Rodgers signed them and shipped them back. Steelers rookie DB Beanie Bishop said he wanted @AaronRodgers12 to sign his two INT balls. The future HOF QB was a good sport and returned the footballs today. — Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) November 6, 2024 About seven months later, Rodgers himself arrived at the Steelers' facility. 'Every time he sees me, he says something funny,' Bishop said. 'He told me, 'Yeah, those two are going to be the last ones you get.'' For the 5-9, 182-pound nickel, adding footballs to his collection starts with solidifying his spot as the starter in a position battle with no shortage of candidates. While the offseason additions of former Jet Brandin Echols and seventh-round draft pick Donte Kent have complicated the nickel conversation, Bishop took a strong step forward through OTAs and minicamp. He confirmed he played extensively with the first-team defense. However, Bishop knows from last year that just because a player begins the year as the starter, it doesn't guarantee he'll finish the season the same way. Advertisement By the Week 9 bye, he was averaging 44.3 defensive snaps a game and had just intercepted three passes in a two-game stretch. However, when Cam Sutton returned from suspension, Bishop's role changed. He was still used at times in nickel. But most of his playing time came in the other sub-package, dime. As a result, he played less than half as much in the second half of the season (21.5 defensive snaps per game). Especially down the stretch, his playing time dwindled, as he appeared on the field for just six defensive snaps combined over the final two games. 'At the end of the day, they still don't have a lot of money invested in me,' Bishop said. 'They obviously drafted a guy (Kent) this year. Brought in (Echols). So I'm never just comfortable and like, 'Oh yeah, this is my spot.' No, I'd never think like that. I always got to have the chip on my shoulder because I still don't forget where I come from.' To keep his spot, Bishop needs to improve his communication, as he was one of the players often in the middle of breakdowns. He also admitted that sometimes he had 'bad eyes' in man coverage. While his ball skills helped him earn an NFL opportunity, he'll need to become more well-rounded to have a long NFL career. The Steelers drafted Harmon in the first round, knowing they'd need a Day 1 starter. In case there was any question, defensive line coach Karl Dunbar made it clear that's where the former 6-foot-4, 313-pound defensive tackle will begin his NFL career. 'He's our left starting defensive tackle,' Dunbar said. 'You can write that.' While the Steelers have, in some instances, broken in their rookies slowly, it's no surprise to see Harmon atop the depth chart already. Offseason addition Daniel Ekuale started 16 games last year for the Patriots, but that was due to Christian Barmore's absence. Ekuale, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Dean Lowry, Logan Lee and others fit better as rotational pieces. The real question when it comes to playing time along the defensive line is: How do the Steelers split playing time among interior defensive linemen in sub-packages when there are just two on the field with two outside linebackers to create a four-man front? Harmon, who led FBS interior defensive linemen in pressures last year, looks the part with his quickness and strong hands. I'm looking forward to seeing him in pads. Advertisement In a similar way to Dunbar, wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni gave his depth-chart update. 'I think that No. 2 spot is all Calvin (Austin III)'s right now,' Azzanni said. Austin often has been the receiver first through the lines in drills. His speed took the top off the defense last year and was highlighted by Russell Wilson's deep ball. With a new QB, his detailed route running will need to shine. While Austin seems poised to build upon what was a bit of a breakout 2024 campaign (36 receptions, 548 yards, four touchdowns), a potential trade or Roman Wilson's growth could change that dynamic. Regardless of whether the Steelers add a pass catcher or not, they will use all of their receivers in a variety of roles. It's just a matter of how much more Austin is used compared to the others. When Rodgers arrived in Pittsburgh, he had a question for QB coach Tom Arth. 'The last thing I want to do is start talking in the meeting and take time away from you,' Arth remembers Rodgers saying. 'But he's like, 'If I see something, do you mind if I share what I see?' ' 'I'm like, Aaron, please,' Arth laughed. 'That's going to be one of the greatest benefits — to me, to all of us, especially to Will.' Sometimes when a veteran comes in at a certain position, there are easy narratives about mentorship. But in the case of Rodgers, his interest in helping the rookie feels genuine. Rodgers sits next to Howard in the QB room. On numerous instances during minicamp, Rodgers was giving Howard pointers on his dropback and other fundamentals. 'He's a great mentor,' Howard said. 'There's already some things he's said to me that have already helped me. I'm just excited to learn as much as I can from that guy and take everything he says and try and put it in the bank.' (Photo of Beanie Bishop: Charles LeClaire / Imagn Images)
