First look at Jalen Milroe in a Seahawks uniform
First look at Jalen Milroe in a Seahawks uniform
The Seattle Seahawks made an uncommon move in the 2025 NFL draft when they selected quarterback Jalen Milroe in the third round. Milroe joined Russell Wilson and Alex McGough as the only quarterbacks taken by Seattle in the John Schneider era, and the highest they've picked a quarterback since Wilson in 2012.
The dynamic athleticism of Milroe makes him an incredibly tantalizing prospect, but one that will need some time to develop in order to become a full-time franchise caliber signal caller. Still, what Milroe offers is enough to excite even the most pessimistic 12th Man out there.
On Sunday, the NFL Player's Association shared a video of Milroe all suited up for the first time in his Seahawks home uniform. This was from the annual rookie premiere, and I must say, navy and neon looks good on the former Crimson Tide standout.
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New York Times
36 minutes ago
- New York Times
Browns rookies Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders getting increased reps in OTAs
The coaches closely overseeing the Cleveland Browns' quarterback competition aren't saying much about their early impressions, at least not more than they have to. Wednesday's second opportunity for reporters to watch an organized team activity wasn't exactly revealing, either. Reps are being shared, and though every rep counts in some fashion, it feels too early to learn anything from what we've seen on the practice fields. Frankly, there wasn't much of an offensive highlight reel from the team's fifth OTA practice. Advertisement One fair takeaway is that Browns cornerback Denzel Ward, a four-time Pro Bowler, is still really good. He had two impressive pass breakups on a day when a bunch were knocked away, some that probably should have been intercepted. Another takeaway is that it's probably not going to be until at least late July for this four-man quarterback competition to produce any clues about which direction it might be headed. 'All the guys have done a nice job coming to work and understanding that each day is going to be a little bit different rotationally, and that it's an evaluation process for us still,' Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said. 'So we're just working through those reps and different situations. 'In terms of the competition, we're so early in the process. We're so early in evaluating it. But I think we have a good group of guys that will continue to push one another. I think it's going to be fluid. We're going to continue to work with all the guys we have. We're going to develop all four of 'em, and we're going to push the reps. We're going to find ways to be creative and make sure they all have opportunities to develop and put their best foot forward. And when the time comes, we will continue to push guys forward as they earn it.' For the second straight week, Kenny Pickett was first in line as the Browns' offensive players went through early warmup drills over the first 20 minutes of practice. A week after Joe Flacco took the first rep when practice shifted to 11-on-11 drills, Pickett went first this time. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski has built extra competitive passing periods into his practice itineraries. The most noticeable change from the first open OTA to the second was that fifth-round rookie Shedeur Sanders got some 11-on-11 snaps. Third-round pick Dillon Gabriel, who officially signed his rookie contract on Wednesday, remains third in the primary quarterback line with Sanders fourth. Pickett and Flacco, the veterans of the group, always go first, although Flacco sat out one team drill Wednesday while the rookies worked on separate fields. Gabriel took some snaps with the No. 1 offense before being replaced by Pickett; Sanders still has worked only with backups. Advertisement Earlier this week, Stefanski said Sanders had previously been taking 11-on-11 reps in practices that weren't open, and the coach reiterated what he's been saying since the Browns drafted two quarterbacks: all four are getting chances, and all four are being evaluated in everything they do. 'I would say there's a lot of work that gets done when you guys aren't out there,' Stefanski said. 'Even in a meeting or in a walk-through, our guys are getting exposed to a lot. 'Honestly, every day is different. Every day we're mixing and matching, giving guys different looks. I've told you before, it's not going to be a 25 percent (shared reps) down the middle type of thing. But we're trying to expose the guys to different things.' Stefanski has emphasized that the Browns want 'an all-encompassing evaluation' of the four quarterbacks that goes beyond a few throws by each player in May and June. Gabriel and Sanders joined the team's offseason program in mid-May, and in OTA practices, the Browns at times have established the same drill on two different practice fields to ensure all four quarterbacks are at least getting some work in different areas. 'The football term is probably the 'two-spot,' and it's a great way to maximize your work,' Rees said. 'Look, it's not just one position group that's able to get maximized. You look at young wideouts, young linemen, young skill players across the board that we can get so many reps for now. Instead of them just getting the reps from the sideline or mental reps, now they're actually out there learning on the fly and things come up. You might run the same play on two different fields, get two different defenses, and now you have two opportunities to coach off of. So I really do think it benefits the entirety of the team.' Though Gabriel showed off his quick release on a touchdown pass through traffic in the late practice 7-on-7 session Wednesday, there were only two notable completions in the 11-on-11 portions: Flacco had an underthrown but successful deep ball to wide-open rookie wide receiver Cade McDonald, and Sanders threw a dart on a slant to Kaden Davis in the back of the end zone. Davis may or may not have gotten his second foot inbounds, but both the throw and catch were impressive. Shedeur ➡️ Kaden Davis ➡️ TD — Cleveland Browns (@Browns) June 4, 2025 The intentional mixing of personnel groups is meant to test the quarterbacks' readiness, but the Browns also have been short on wide receivers in these voluntary sessions. Stefanski and Rees have even mixed groups and kept linemen on the field for 7-on-7 drills so the rookie quarterbacks can get used to communicating with offensive linemen and navigating traffic. 'They come from the college world where very few things are called into the huddle, where you have to command a huddle (and) operate an offense the way you're asked to at this level,' Rees said. 'I think just from an operational standpoint, you continue to see these guys grow and become more comfortable. There's gonna be a moment where they get to their comfort level, and that's when they'll be able to maximize and feel comfortable out there.' Advertisement Next week's mandatory minicamp will bring more players into the fold, notably Browns No. 1 tight end David Njoku and No. 1 pass rusher Myles Garrett, both of whom have skipped voluntary OTAs. 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New York Times
36 minutes ago
- New York Times
Commanders' Daron Payne is leading by example with his inspiring offseason work
ASHBURN, Va. — Washington Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. was in trouble with head coach Dan Quinn at practice this week. Blame Daron Payne. In Tuesday's closed and padless session, Whitt challenged the revamped defensive line to attack. The amped tackle 'went after it' to the point that Whitt apologized to Quinn for the overzealous display, explaining that Payne 'did exactly what I told him to do.' Advertisement It's not that Payne's efforts were out of bounds for game action, nor was the intensity a one-off this offseason. It's why Whitt cited the eight-year veteran when asked during his Wednesday news conference which player stood out early in workouts and organized team activities. '(Payne) looks really good. He looks in tempo,' Whitt said. 'Like, every day this dude is — I'm having to tell him, 'Hey, man, let's calm down.'' Washington fans previously witnessed Payne playing the role of interior monster. The 2022 version collapsed pockets and engulfed ball carriers en route to earning his lone Pro Bowl selection with 11 1/2 sacks and 18 tackles for loss. The 2018 first-round pick signed a four-year, $90 million contract the following offseason. Whitt and Quinn will become unabashed cheerleaders if Payne's performances sniff that level. While solid in the subsequent two seasons, Payne's combined sack (8) and tackles for loss (18) numbers didn't pop. There were a few individual standout moments during Washington's all-smiles 12-win regular season. Maintaining this intensity when the games count would help regain that form. 'I walked past (Payne) today and said, 'Man, you've had a remarkable offseason,'' Quinn said following Wednesday's session. 'I felt that way through the drill work, through the skill (work). You just see something that jumps out differently. … I felt that from him coming into this offseason, and I've certainly been impressed by what I've seen so far.' The Commanders require a big-man group effort to bolster a defense that lagged significantly behind the Jayden Daniels-led offense in Washington's surprising run to the NFC Championship Game. Washington released two-time Pro Bowl tackle Jonathan Allen, yet met the internal goal of getting 'bigger and longer' up front by signing free agent linemen Javon Kinlaw and Deatrich Wise Jr. Advertisement Johnny Newton enters his sophomore season a year removed from surgeries on both feet. Frankie Luvu, Washington's top returning sacker, and Dorance Armstrong remain. 'The vision of how we want to play, how we want to be and how we want to look, you're seeing more of it right now from a size, length and speed standpoint,' Whitt said. The coaches and players understand that the eye test in these unphysical OTAs doesn't automatically translate to in-season success. There are still outside concerns about Washington's edge defender talent and pass rush effectiveness. 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He will play on all three downs. Others might; Quinn and Whitt will spend the summer sorting out line combinations. Along with preseason games, Quinn confirmed the Commanders will hold joint practices with the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens. Advertisement 'We'll get a couple of practices against other teams, and those practices help, too, because as coaches we can emphasize (matchups and scenarios),' Quinn said. 'So those are helpful, too, which you don't get during the (preseason) game.' With Kinlaw, a hulking 6-foot-5, 319-pounder, Washington has 'the ability to move him up and down the line of scrimmage,' Whitt said. Wise, a Super Bowl champion with New England, likely starts at end opposite Armstrong, but he can play inside. Goldman is a run-game specialist. 'Man, we got some big ol' guys, bro,' said the 6-foot-3, 320-pound Payne. Measurables aside, there's no potentially bigger impact player on the line — and arguably the entire defense — than Payne. Though not entering a contract year, motivation may come from seeing Allen released. The Commanders would gain significant salary-cap savings by releasing Payne next offseason. After enduring numerous down seasons, Payne isn't looking to leave now that opponents see Washington as a considerable foe. 'Man, it's super fun being on a big stage,' Payne said. 'I know (opponents) used to single us out because they think they get an easy win. Now they want to beat us.' • Wide receiver Terry McLaurin, left tackle Laremy Tunsil and cornerback Marshon Lattimore skipped voluntary OTAs for a second consecutive week. While McLaurin and Tunsil were in town for other portions of the offseason program, Lattimore has stayed away. The four-time Pro Bowler battled hamstring injuries before and after last year's trade deadline deal with the New Orleans Saints. During the playoffs, Lattimore also labored in coverage against star receivers Mike Evans and A.J. Brown. 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While tight end Ben Sinnott worked out with a black jersey, indicating an injury, reserve Colson Yankoff had multiple receptions in 11-on-11 drills. for your viewing pleasure — Washington Commanders (@Commanders) June 4, 2025 • Whitt demoted safety Quan Martin to the second-team defense last offseason because 'he was making mistakes that we can't afford to make.' The turnaround was immediate and sustainable. Martin shone in the following three practices before delivering an impressive second NFL season despite dealing with enough shoulder pain to warrant eventual surgeries. This year, Whitt sees a 'laser-focused' player capable of breaking out. 'This kid has the potential to be one of the better safeties in this league, and that's what I'm holding him to,' Whitt said.
New York Times
36 minutes ago
- New York Times
An NFL player was against ‘shrink dudes.' Then he started working with one
Editor's note: This story is a part of Peak, The Athletic's desk covering leadership, personal development and success through the lens of sports. Follow Peak here. When Doug Baldwin first met the sports psychologist who would have a profound impact on his life, he was skeptical about working with him. 'Skeptical is kind of a nice way of putting it,' Baldwin said. 'I was against it.' It was 2011, and Baldwin had just joined the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted rookie. The draft snub fed his intensity and insecurities. For years, he had used the feeling that he wasn't good enough to prove that he was. That combination had helped him reach the pros, going from an unheralded two-star prospect out of high school to Stanford's leading receiver as a senior. When he made a mistake, he dwelt on it and used it to knock his self-worth, prompting him to work even harder. Advertisement Only later, as he learned how to frame and consider his internal thoughts, did he truly understand the personal costs of that mindset. So when Baldwin met Dr. Michael Gervais, a sports psychologist that Seahawks coach Pete Carroll had brought in to work with players, he wasn't sold. Baldwin believed the way he had always carried himself was what made him a successful football player. And when Gervais walked in with his fluffy hair, polished style and frequent smile, Baldwin thought he looked like a Tom Cruise clone. A teammate in Seattle, running back Marshawn Lynch, had a name for people like Gervais: 'shrink dudes.' Yet when Gervais explained the intent of his work — to unlock the best versions of players through training their minds — and the goals it could help them achieve, Baldwin decided to give him a shot. If this is what he says it is, Baldwin thought, then why not just try it? For Gervais, that initial meeting came as he was returning to the sports world after his first attempt to work with athletes a decade earlier had frustrated him. He had earned a Ph.D in sports psychology with the belief that all athletes could benefit from his work. But he became deflated when he felt like some of his athletes didn't fully believe in the correlation between mental skills training and performance, and even more so when they didn't match his investment. So instead, he spent time at Microsoft, helping high-performers develop mental skills and playing a crucial role in the Red Bull Stratos project, where he counseled Felix Baumgartner before his record-setting skydive from 128,000 feet. In 2011, Gervais had dinner with Carroll before his second season as the Seahawks' head coach. Carroll explained that he was looking to instill a culture built around training players' minds as much as their bodies, and he assured Gervais it would be different from his previous experiences. So Gervais decided to give pro sports another chance. Advertisement The first time Gervais worked with Baldwin was during a group session about basic breathing exercises. He started the session with box breathing. Baldwin and his teammates inhaled for five seconds, paused at the top for five seconds, exhaled for five seconds, then paused at the bottom for five seconds before breathing in again. Next, they switched to down-regulation breathing: inhaling for eight seconds, pausing, exhaling for 16 seconds, then pausing again. Before the session finished, Gervais asked the group to participate in a 'gratitude meditation.' 'It's completely attuning to one thing you're grateful for,' Gervais said. Afterward, as Gervais exchanged goodbyes with players, Baldwin slowly made his way to the front of the room. Gervais wasn't sure what Baldwin was going to say. When they were face to face, Baldwin just stood there, grinning and nodding his head up and down. 'OK,' Baldwin finally said. 'Yep. OK.' Gervais didn't have to say anything back. 'I knew and he knew what that stood for,' Gervais said. 'OK, I just went somewhere. I just felt something.' Baldwin's work with Gervais came at a time when athletes across sports started to more publicly consider their mental health and how it influenced their performance. Baldwin felt the stigma against showing signs of vulnerability. However, the revolution has continued and has changed how athletes discuss their struggles, with many more publicly acknowledging the ways they are seeking help. 'Being able to do that opened up a whole different realm for me,' Baldwin said. The first breath-work session had been a 'gate opener,' the first time that he felt like he could control his intense emotions. 'My body had never felt that type of stillness and that type of relaxation,' he said. Still, Baldwin's skepticism didn't vanish overnight. Gervais chipped away at it by painting a picture. As thoughts came into his mind, Gervais suggested viewing them as clouds: Just like a cloud, the thought is here right now, but it's simply passing through the sky. Just because a thought existed didn't mean Baldwin needed to have judgment of it. It's not a bad thought or a good thought. It's just a thought. And it floats by just as a cloud does. Advertisement He also connected with Baldwin on a personal level. It wasn't unusual for their check-ins to turn into hours-long conversations, or for shared meals in the lunchroom to extend into a long walk-and-talk session to practice. 'It was basically counseling sessions,' Baldwin said. 'It was about finding a deeper understanding of myself and what I'm capable of.' Gervais helped Baldwin understand his intense emotions and energy with an analogy: 'It's like you're trying to dictate which way a herd of mustangs is going. You're not going to be able to do that. What you can try to do is try to guide them in the general direction that you want to go.' Baldwin gained a deeper understanding of himself and his thought processes. Conversations with Gervais helped Baldwin connect many aspects of his mindset to the difficulties of his childhood and his insecurities, which gave him the awareness to make adjustments. By getting to the source and working to improve his thoughts, he began to see his relationships and life off the field improve as well. Baldwin began breath work twice a day, and the physical and mental benefits surprised him. He could stay calm under pressure moments on the football field, but he also felt more peaceful and relaxed in his regular life. Gervais helped him establish a pre-performance routine, a pregame routine and a pre-snap routine. Most importantly, from Gervais' perspective, each part of every routine put Baldwin in control. Baldwin could not control scoring touchdowns, for example, but he could control the way he caught the ball or moved his feet. This, Gervais explained, allowed Baldwin to 'put himself in the best position to be himself.' The purpose was to master how to stay calm under stress, generate confidence, envision performance excellence, let go of mistakes and be a better teammate. Advertisement 'Thoughts drive actions,' Gervais said. 'Thoughts impact emotions. Thoughts and emotions together impact behavior. And thoughts, emotions and behavior stacked up is what creates performance.' Baldwin incorporated visualization into his routine. He would imagine himself making specific plays to convince his mind that the moment had already happened — another way to give himself a sense of control. Baldwin's insecurity-fueled drive didn't disappear. He was always one of the Seahawks' most prepared players. He studied film for hours and prioritized going into games, confident that he had done everything to give himself the best chance to be successful. Still … 'No matter how hard you prepare,' Baldwin said, 'there's always something that comes up that you weren't prepared for or makes you question your preparation.' That's where the work with Gervais kicked in. During a big playoff game, Baldwin's heart pounded so rapidly that he began to feel anxious. 'Just get grounded,' he told himself. 'Get grounded.' As he pressed his thumbs to each of his fingertips, he continued to take deep breaths, reminding himself of where he was and the techniques he had learned from Gervais. 'I'm in control of my body, I'm connected to it,' he recited. Then the game started and Baldwin began to feel like himself. His training with Gervais didn't always yield immediate results. In 2016, when the Seahawks played the Green Bay Packers, Baldwin struggled. Nothing he tried was successful. He couldn't bring himself to be balanced and grounded. But he didn't give up. 'It's consistency and discipline with it, but then also persevering through those times where it may feel like it's not working,' he said. That paid off in a major way that year, when he had the most catches and most receiving yards of his career and made his first Pro Bowl. Advertisement 'It's somewhat similar to a muscle,' Baldwin said. 'You have to work it out in order to strengthen it, and there are going to be times where it fails because that's the only way that it grows and gets stronger.' After big games that season, he sat on the sideline and thought: Damn. He didn't feel tired; everything felt effortless. As his work with Gervais continued, Baldwin noticed changes off the field. He felt more confident and reliable as a friend, husband, brother and son. Baldwin retired at 30 after the 2018 season. He wanted to ensure that the adverse side effects of his many years playing football did not interfere with his kids and family. He and his wife, Tara, have three daughters, and he feeds his competitive side with pickup basketball games. Without football, he finds himself occasionally tempted to fall back into old habits because deep down they still feel safer to him, and more familiar. But he still relies on the blueprint Gervais gave him years ago to catch himself. On his phone, he has one of Gervais' guided meditation recordings. When he wakes up some mornings, he does breathing exercises and visualizes how his day is going to go — the same tools he used to catch passes and score touchdowns. 'And that's been profound in my life,' Baldwin said. Elise Devlin is a writer for Peak. She last wrote about the best ways to coach youth sports. Follow Peak here. (Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images)
