
How Wisconsin product Hunter Wohler fared in Indianapolis Colts' NFL preseason opener
In the Indianapolis Colts' 24-16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Wohler delivered a team-high nine tackles (six solo). The next-closest defender was cornerback Duke Shelley with six tackles (four solo).
Wohler's breakout preseason debut follows an impressive week of performances in the Colts' joint practices against the Ravens. The standout safety notched two highlight interceptions on Tuesday, including one off two-time MVP Lamar Jackson.
The Muskego, Wisconsin, native is battling for a position on the Colts' roster after they selected him in the seventh round (No. 232 overall) of the 2025 NFL draft. He was listed as the backup safety on the team's first unofficial depth chart, behind standout starters Cam Bynum and Nick Cross. Continued strong play would both cement Wohler's place on the Colts' 53-man roster, as well as elevate him as the team's primary reserve option at the position.
Wohler is not the only former Badger set for a big role on the Colts this season. Offensive lineman Tanor Bortolini is the team's starting center, with all-world running back Jonathan Taylor set to lead that offensive unit.
The trio of Wisconsin products will be back on the field on Saturday, Aug. 16, against the Green Bay Packers.
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Pete Carroll defends Geno Smith after Raiders QB flipped off Seahawks fan: 'Did you see what the sign said?'
Thursday's preseason game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Seattle Seahawks marked an early homecoming for Raiders head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith. But Smith's return wasn't quite as welcoming, after the veteran was caught flipping off a Seahawks fan holding a sign while he was coming out of the tunnel. In a press conference on Sunday, Carroll was asked early on about the gesture. But Carroll quickly jumped to the defense of his quarterback. "Did you see what the sign said?" Carroll asked. When the reporter confirmed that they had, Carroll kept things moving: "Next question." The fan's provocative sign read, "Bigger Bust — Geno or JaMarcus Russell?", prompting the reaction from Smith. Russell, a former No. 1 overall pick with a troubled NFL career, only lasted three seasons with the Raiders as quarterback before being released. (He recently made headlines again last summer, after being removed as a volunteer coach and sued by his high school.) On Thursday, Carroll was seen trying to take down the sign from the fan after the interaction, seemingly understanding the effect it had on Smith. Smith, who was drafted in the second round of the 2013 draft out of West Virginia, was on his way to becoming a career backup before finding his resurgence with the Seahawks. With Russell Wilson sent to the Denver Broncos, Smith won Seattle's starting job in 2022, eventually earning his first Pro Bowl nod and the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year. Carroll, who had coached the Seahawks since 2010, was a mentor for Smith during that time, before he and the team parted ways at the end of the 2023 season. When Carroll stepped out of retirement to take the Raiders' coaching job, it was only fitting to have Smith join him: The veteran QB was traded to Las Vegas in March. Smith eventually signed a two-year extension with the Raiders to keep him out of free agency next offseason. Thursday's preseason game ended with a 23-23 tie between Carroll's old team and his new one. In a game that primarily featured Aidan O'Connell at QB for Las Vegas, Smith played limited snaps, but went 1-for-3 for 15 yards in the draw.

Associated Press
12 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Chargers' defense steps up in 27-13 preseason win against Saints
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Trey Lance scrambled for a 5-yard score and rookie Eric Rogers had a 43-yard pick-6 in a mostly sluggish offensive performance by the Los Angeles Chargers in a 27-13 exhibition win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. The Chargers' defense had a goal-line stand and a strip-sack that led to a turnover while dominating the Saints, who committed seven penalties for 56 yards and got sacked five times. Chargers rookie Jamaree Caldwell took down Tyler Shough for a 9-yard loss in the third quarter. Rogers also intercepted Jake Haener in the fourth before getting hurt with 1:43 remaining. Lance was 7 of 14 for 55 yards. He also was the Chargers' leading rusher with seven carries for 48 yards. Taylor Heinicke started at quarterback for the Chargers, going 1 of 5 for 8 yards. DJ Uiagalelei drew cheers with a 49-yard pass to Dalevon Campbell late in the game. With a four-man quarterback competition, Spencer Rattler started for the Saints and was sacked twice by Caleb Murphy in the second. Shough replaced him and was intercepted by Rogers on a pass intended for Dante Pettis on the Saints' first possession of the third. Lance passed to Campbell for the 2-point conversion and a 17-3 lead. Shough hit Mason Tipton for a 54-yard touchdown and Charlie Smyth made the extra point, leaving the Saints trailing 17-10. Shough was 15 of 22 for 165 yards. Cameron Dicker had field goals of 44 and 40 yards for the Chargers. Coming off an 11-6 season and their first playoff appearance since 2022 in his first year, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh rested several starters including quarterback Justin Herbert. The Chargers were without Rashawn Slater, who sustained a season-ending torn patella tendon in practice earlier in the week. Running back Najee Harris' status for Week 1 is up in the air after he sustained an eye injury in a July 4 firework incident. He has been walking laps at practice, wearing a helmet with a visor. The Chargers were the first team to open training camp and are playing an extra preseason game because they were in the Hall of Fame game, beating Detroit 34-7. Kellen Moore made his head coaching debut for the Saints, having worked as offensive coordinator for Super Bowl champion Philadelphia last season. He served in the same role with the Chargers in 2023. Brandon Staley was back at SoFi Stadium as defensive coordinator for the Saints. He was head coach of the Chargers from 2021-23. Injuries Saints: C/G Will Clapp was hurt on the second play of the first quarter. He was taken off the field on a cart while sitting up with his right shoe off. ... WR Bub Means also had his right shoe off as he was carted off in the third. ... TE Mason Pline was hurt in the third. Chargers: DB Deane Leonard was injured with 1:38 remaining in the second. He tried to get up and went right back down before walking off between two trainers. ... G Karsen Barnhart got hurt and walked off in the fourth. Up next The Saints host Jacksonville on Aug. 17. The Chargers visit the LA Rams on Aug. 16. ___ AP NFL:


New York Times
12 minutes ago
- New York Times
Mets' latest 7-game skid might be the most worrisome: ‘We gotta get our starters going'
MILWAUKEE — When Edwin Díaz reached the first step of the New York Mets' dugout, the closer tapped his chest as he looked toward catcher Francisco Alvarez, taking responsibility for the latest exasperating loss. It was Díaz who shook off a fastball in favor of the slider that stayed too much over the middle. From there, Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Isaac Collins, the first batter of the bottom of the ninth inning, crushed the pitch for a walk-off home run. Indeed, it gets worse by the day for the Mets. The 7-6 loss on Sunday marked the seventh straight defeat, matching the Mets' longest losing streak of the season — yes, this happening before makes it all the more concerning — and it's in serious contention for the most brutal. They blew a five-run lead. Díaz was the one who walked off the mound with his head down, but the blame for the Mets' spiral extends well beyond him. Advertisement On June 12, the Mets held a 5 1/2-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies for first place in the National League East. After Sunday's games, the Mets trailed the Phillies by 5 1/2 games for first place in the NL East. 'We can go on a run — we've still got time,' Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo said. 'It just takes putting it together, playing some good baseball. We've still got a shot, and this team has been known to go on runs.' More updated numbers on the wrong side of a run: The Mets have dropped 11 of their past 12 games. Since June 13 (the start of their other seven-game losing streak), they are 18-31. 'We haven't played well in quite a bit now,' Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. 'That's what happens. We can't be looking at the standings. We gotta start getting the job done. It's that simple.' It's tough for the Mets to win when their starting pitchers fail to complete five innings — let alone six. The Brewers (73-44), winners of nine straight games, present a challenge with pesky at-bats, speed and consistent contact. But they didn't slug much this season until they saw the Mets, who gave up six home runs over the weekend, including three (William Contreras hit the two others) on Sunday. While the Mets' inconsistent lineup contributed plenty to dragging the club down over the past coupleof months, New York's problem with its starting pitchers gets bleaker each turn through the rotation. 'We gotta get our starters going,' Mendoza said. To get that done, the Mets' best choice may be to promote one of their top pitching prospects by the end of the week. It's unknown whether they will. People familiar with the club's thinking said before Sunday's game that no decisions were made and options were still being discussed. For New York, nothing is off the table at this point. Advertisement In Triple-A Syracuse, Nolan McLean, who allowed just one run in four innings on Sunday, has a 2.78 ERA while red-hot Brandon Sproat boasts a 1.15 ERA over his past seven starts. With just 44 games left, it's unlikely that the Mets deploy a six-man rotation — they'd prefer to have their best pitchers appear as frequently as possible. If one of the prospects receives a promotion, a piggyback role or replacing Frankie Montas as a starter seems more plausible. Meanwhile, Mendoza sounded noncommittal regarding Montas' role after the right-hander followed an opener on Saturday with a so-so performance and then watched Sean Manaea last just four innings on Sunday. The Mets tried to push Manaea further, and it didn't work. After allowing three runs in the fourth inning, he returned to the mound for the fifth inning. He stayed for just three more pitches; Collins chased him from the game with a single. Manaea, again relying mostly on just his fastball and sweeper, needed 87 pitches to navigate his outing. He was charged with four earned runs, six hits and two walks. After making his season debut July 13, he has yet to throw more than 5 2/3 innings in an outing, usually hitting a wall around the 70-pitch mark or the second or third time through a batting order. The outlook on Manaea, someone they count on, is doubly concerning when Kodai Senga is also laboring to get through five innings and no Mets starter other than David Peterson has completed six innings since June 7. Manaea said he thought his stuff was trending in the right direction. Mendoza said he trusted Manaea to rediscover what worked late last season. 'We're all waiting,' Mendoza said. 'He'll be the first one that tells you. He's having a hard time, especially the second and third time through (the batting order). Looks like hitters are making adjustments. Advertisement 'We saw it last year — he was using three pitches, the fastball at the top, the sweeper and the changeup. That third pitch, he's going to need that one. 'We gotta get him going, and we will, but right now, he's having a hard time.' In the meantime, the bullpen is tasked with a heavy workload. On Sunday, Mendoza went with Tyler Rogers for a third straight day, Ryan Helsley in a back-to-back. Mendoza used Reed Garrett as the opener on Saturday. By the fourth inning, Garrett was already warming again. In the fifth, he relieved Manaea. The Mets' bullpen failed them over the weekend (to be fair, the Mets went 3-for-29 combined after the sixth inning of each game against the Brewers, including no hits after the sixth inning on Sunday). But no matter how good the Mets' bullpen is or is supposed to be, the starters failing to provide any length is not sustainable. Making a change to the rotation wouldn't fix all the Mets' issues — and others certainly exist. But it's at least an attempt at doing something differently when the status quo continues to not be good enough. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle