Latest news with #DrewRosenhaus
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Steelers unlikely to trade for ex-Patriots pass catcher despite talks (report)
Apparently, Jonnu Smith won't be reuniting with Arthur Smith for a third stint. Though the Steelers reportedly engaged in trade talks with the Dolphins for the Pro Bowl tight end, ESPN reports a deal is unlikely to materialize. Arthur Smith is Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator, and Jonnu Smith played in his offenses in both Tennessee (2019-20) and Atlanta (2023). Advertisement A bust in New England, Jonnu Smith delivered an outstanding year with the Dolphins last season, catching 88 passes for 884 yards, both easily career highs. He also hauled in eight touchdown passes and was named to his first Pro Bowl. Given his production, Smith wants to renegotiate his Dolphins contract that will pay him $4.8 million this season, per ESPN. In an appearance on WSVN-TV, Smith's agent Drew Rosenhaus was adamant that the tight end wanted to keep playing for the Dolphins. 'Jonnu would definitely like to stay in Miami. That's his first choice,' Rosenhaus said (via the Miami Herald). 'This is where he lives in the offseason. He had a record-breaking season last year. It was the best season ever for a Miami Dolphin tight end... He broke the team record for receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns for a tight end and was the team's single Pro Bowl player. He's an incredibly valuable part of this team.' Smith was a big ticket Patriots free agent signing in the 2021 offseason, inking a four-year, $50 million deal, but things never materialized for him in New England's offense. Smith never hit 30 receptions nor 300 receiving yards in a season and only caught one touchdown pass in his two years with the Patriots. In the spring of 2023, Bill Belichick traded him to Atlanta for a seventh-round pick. More Patriots Content Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Giants Sign Top Draft Pick to Rookie Contract
The New York Giants got some good, if expected, news on Thursday. According to Adam Schefter, the Giants signed first-round pick Abdul Carter to his fully guaranteed rookie contract. The Penn State edge rusher New York took with the third pick, Carter was among the two blue-chip prospects in the 2025 class. He projects to start opposite Brian Burns along the edge and add to one of the league's best defensive lines. Advertisement Before that, though, he'll get to enjoy his nearly $30 million signing bonus. Schefter pointed out that Drew Rosenhaus, Jason Rosenhaus, and Robert Bailey represent Carter. However, there isn't much negotiation taking place with rookie contracts. They are predetermined by draft slot, leaving agents to discuss offset language and bonus schedules, neither of which has a significant impact on the team or player. Carter's 2025 salary will be $8.3 million, per Jordan Raanan. Of course, as a first-round pick, Carter will have a fifth-year option included in his deal. After Year 3, New York can lock in that fifth season, buying more time for a potential extension and keeping his cost (relatively) low, should he meet expectations. Advertisement Despite playing in a defense with a rotation of pass rushers, Carter will be expected to produce, even as a rookie. There is still development to be had, given he spent just one season as a full-time edge rusher at Penn State. Even so, his draft capital and the New York market will set a high bar. Carter's blend of athleticism, production, and technique makes him a promising piece of the Giants' defense. He is the fourth New York rookie to sign his deal, following tight end Thomas Fidone II, cornerback Korie Black, and offensive lineman Marcus Mbow. Fortunately, there isn't much reason to panic over the others (including first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart), remaining unsigned. Carter, with his jersey number and contract locked in, is set to take on his rookie year and make a good first impression in the process. Advertisement Related: Giants Rookie Abdul Carter Ripped By Legends for Request Related: 3 Questions Will Define Giants' Defense Giants Sign Top Draft Pick to Rookie Contract first appeared on Athlon Sports on May 22, 2025
New York Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Rams' Kyren Williams at OTAs amid ‘healthy' ongoing contract talks; other notes
LOS ANGELES – The thought of sitting out spring practices never crossed star running back Kyren Williams' mind, despite an ongoing contract negotiation between his representatives and the Los Angeles Rams. In fact, he felt strongly about showing up for reasons well beyond any long-term financial security. Personal accountability is one of them. Advertisement 'I'm very real with myself,' he told The Athletic on Wednesday, 'and I know I left a bad taste in everybody's mouth last year. I fumbled five times. That's not good; you have to take care of the ball if you're on the offensive side. So again, that's another thing that I'm well aware of what I left on tape. Now I have to keep proving (myself). … Attack it every day, because that's a professional attitude.' The Rams opened discussions with Drew Rosenhaus, Williams' agent, this spring and met with him in West Palm Beach, Fla., during the annual league meeting in March. At that time, the two sides were apart in their respective numbers. But the talks have continued, and Rams head coach Sean McVay said on Wednesday he appreciates Williams' presence at the voluntary workouts. 'First of all, Drew has been outstanding (and) I think the dialogue has been really healthy,' said McVay. '… And Kyren has been the same stud that we know. Great demeanor, great willingness to come out here to work to get better. He's been great in terms of our communication, (and) it means a lot. You don't minimize (it), those things are real. Those are real things that guys have to navigate. … Hopefully we'll see where this goes, but I think it's been really healthy and positive progress, for sure.' Williams is entering the final season on his rookie contract and his third season as the starting running back (he rushed for over 1,100 yards respectively in 2023 and 2024). Because of his ability, his fit in McVay's offense and his energy with teammates, it seemed natural for the Rams to consider an extension a season before his deal expires – something they had not done with running backs since former All-Pro Todd Gurley was on the roster. 'For me, I think it's good faith that we're even still talking,' said Williams. 'Even if we are not where we want to be right now, the fact that Sean, Les (Snead), the organization likes me enough (and) wants me enough to have those conversations a year early, knowing that it doesn't usually happen, especially at my position. … Just being able to have that respect, it means a lot.' Advertisement Williams is optimistic the two sides can figure out terms ahead of training camp this summer, which is when the Rams typically execute extensions for players. He added that he 'has no other option but to be optimistic.' All he can control, he said, is how he operates with the time he has with his teammates and coaches now that he's in a veteran leadership role. 'I'm more focused on – as a man, as a player, as a human being – how I can continue to grow every single day and how I can impact others in a positive way, and just be the person I am,' he said. '… I'm not really worried about what is (still) to come, because I know what I'm gonna do.' Williams is applying two simple, powerful truths to his mentality this offseason and beyond, regardless of the timeline of a possible deal: 'I play football because I really do love this game,' he said, 'and I know that I am able to take care of my family because of this game. … For me, (I) don't care what is going on. I know if I'm here, I'm getting better. … It's a no-brainer. Yeah, it's stressful because you don't get what you want right away in negotiations, but that's a part of it. You have to enjoy it, because I get to come out here every day and continue to still be who I am, despite what is going on.' More notes from the Rams' first day of organized team activities (OTAs). (As a reminder, the team enforces a media policy that prohibits reporting specifics about the depth chart, plays and formations or other such details.) • McVay was asked again whether the Rams remain open to trading for Dolphins star cornerback Jalen Ramsey after Miami expressed a willingness to facilitate a trade this offseason. Again, the head coach didn't rule out the possibility or downplay the Rams' interest, saying, 'We would never close out those opportunities,' but added that the Rams and Dolphins have not recently had 'meaningful' dialogue on the matter. Advertisement McVay also said he doesn't believe the team needs to add more players to the secondary (outside of Ramsey, who would be a unique case) and cited cornerback Emmanuel Forbes' development after arriving in L.A. late last season and cornerback Derion Kendrick's return to the field. (Kendrick can play outside or in the slot.) Forbes did jump a route during a team period and intercepted backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. • Third year star receiver Puka Nacua had an excused absence from Wednesday's practice as he returns from a trip with his mother. Second-year receiver Jordan Whittington took on a significant portion of Nacua's workload and made several tough catches across the middle and sealed off the edge on more than one occasion during run plays, which drew praise from some coaches. (Note that real contact is not allowed during these practices.) • Veteran receivers Davante Adams and Tutu Atwell also made their presence felt. In seven-on-sevens, Adams stretched vertically for a contested catch won against Kendrick. Meanwhile, Atwell caught a deep pass for a touchdown after getting two steps on his defender in 11-on-11s. Rookie seventh-round pick Konata Mumpfield made a tough catch in coverage, with a second defender closing down over the top of his route. • Inside linebacker Omar Speights and safeties Kamren Kinchens and Quentin Lake worked to the side with athletic training staff during part of the team period. • Right tackle Rob Havenstein is not practicing as he recovers from offseason procedures on both shoulders. He said earlier this spring that he expects to be ready for training camp. The Rams have been developing third-year offensive lineman Warren McClendon as a backup swing tackle. • Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick attended Wednesday's practice and spoke with the team. 'There's so much crossover in leadership and the platform that we're blessed to be able to have,' said McVay, who initially met Redick shortly before the latter accepted the Lakers job in 2024.
New York Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Packers WR Jayden Reed clarifies report about role: ‘A lot of people misinterpreted that'
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed knew what reporters wanted to ask even before fielding his first question of the offseason. 'Y'all been waiting to hear from me, huh?' Reed said as he walked in front of microphones at Lambeau Field after Wednesday's OTA practice. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that in early May, Reed's new agent, Drew Rosenhaus, met with general manager Brian Gutekunst to clarify Reed's role after the Packers drafted wide receivers Matthew Golden in the first round and Savion Williams in the third. Schefter reported that the Packers informed Rosenhaus that those draft picks wouldn't affect Reed's status as their top receiver. The question lingered whether Reed was unsettled after the draft and wanted reassurance about his depth chart standing or if Rosenhaus had spoken with Gutekunst on his own. 'A lot of people misinterpreted that,' Reed said. 'I hired a new agent and we talked about it before even the draft, really, that he said he was going to talk to the front office and everybody here to just catch up and make sure everybody's on the same page. As a new client, he told me that's the way he was going to do it and he did it. Now, I don't know how it got out because it was supposed to be confidential, but that's how it goes sometimes. People get a different perception. They make their own perception, which is OK. That's how it goes sometimes.' Jayden Reed says 'a lot of people misinterpreted' the ESPN report that his new agent Drew Rosenhaus clarified with Brian Gutekunst that Reed is Green Bay's top receiver. Reed's view of the situation: — Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) May 28, 2025 We never truly know what players are feeling, but it doesn't sound like Reed is too perturbed at the arrival of multiple rookie receivers. After all, it was sensible for the Packers to draft a couple given the ACL injury to Christian Watson and the fact that Green Bay's top four receivers are set for unrestricted free agency over the next two offseasons, and the team may lose more than one of them. Advertisement 'In our exit meeting … that's what they talked to me about, was just being more of a leader, being more vocal,' Reed said. 'That's what I'm trying to do because I've been in their position as well. It's not easy to learn plays and it's a lot of chaos as a rookie. (Golden) has been doing a phenomenal job. He's picked it up probably faster than I did, so I commend him on that, and Savion as well. They're always around. I tried to stick around in the huddle to make sure they're good. They've been doing a great job.' Passing game coordinator Jason Vrable and head coach Matt LaFleur say Reed's actions in practice match his words. 'I think the biggest growth, too, is the way his leadership's been right now,' Vrable said of Reed. 'I really want to commend him because he's standing behind Matthew Golden right now, helping him out with every single play.' 'He's been outstanding,' LaFleur said of Reed. 'I've been really impressed with our veterans taking these guys under their wings and kind of showing them the way and really helping them.' Jordan Love to Matthew Golden — Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) May 28, 2025 Reed, a 2023 second-round pick, is probably the most talented all-around receiver on the roster. After catching 55 passes for 857 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie to go along with 8.2 yards per carry and a touchdown on 20 rushes, he finished sixth in AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. In 2024, he hauled in 64 passes for 793 yards and eight touchdowns with 10.8 yards per rush and two touchdowns on 11 carries. However, Reed finished tied for fifth in the NFL with 10 drops last season, according to TruMedia. He only caught more than three passes once in the final eight games of the regular season after doing so six times in the first nine contests. After posting three games of at least 113 receiving yards in the first nine games, Reed's single-game receiving high in the final eight games was 76 yards before catching four passes for 46 yards in a wild-card round loss to the Eagles. Reed has the talent to be Green Bay's true No. 1 receiver, even if Gutekunst's confirmation to Rosenahus was simply to appease, but he must be more consistent. Advertisement 'Drops was a problem for me last year,' Reed said. 'I've been on the JUGS machine every day this offseason. Obviously, that will help.' Reed spent the entire offseason training with teammate Dontayvion Wicks in Florida. Reed said Wicks, a fellow 2023 draft pick at receiver, is a 'great separator' because of his twitch, timing and tempo. Training with Wicks allows Reed to better implement those strengths into his own game. Fellow wideout Romeo Doubs trained with them in Florida, too, and Doubs was present at voluntary practice on Wednesday, along with the fourth receiver on the team approaching a notable contract discussion, Watson. Watson tore his ACL in Week 18 against the Bears. Watson's father said on social media that his son should return around Week 12. Gutekunst said at the combine in February that the Packers expect Watson back around the midway point of the season. On Wednesday, Watson stretched with the team and was seen jogging inside the Don Hutson Center, though he rehabbed off to the side once practice began outdoors. Nonetheless, his recovery seems to be charging full steam ahead. 'Christian's doing outstanding,' LaFleur said. 'I would say he's ahead of schedule, but again, I'm not a doctor. I'm not medical staff, so we'll see where he's at.' Christian Watson stretching and jogging here at OTAs. He tore his ACL in Week 18. Gutekunst said in February he's expected to return around the midway point of the season. — Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) May 28, 2025 At some point this season, the Packers hope to have all six receivers — Reed, Watson, Doubs, Wicks, Golden and Williams — healthy. Four of those players want to get paid in the near future. One of them is a first-round pick who will certainly see the ball. The other is an intriguing third-round chess piece that coaches sound enamored with, too. Advertisement With only so many targets to go around, is putting egos aside as easy as players and coaches make it sound? Or have feathers been ruffled and will there be unhealthy tension seeping from the room? 'I think they're doing great right now,' quarterback Jordan Love said of the wide receiver room. 'They're all here. They've been working really hard, but I think any time you draft guys in your room, that's the nature of it, to feel that way … At the end of the day, there's always going to be competition. I don't think any of those guys are shying away from competition. They all want to be the best and be out there on the field. The vibes are good right now.'
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 NFL Draft: Abdul Carter also received prank phone call before Giants took him with No. 3 overall pick
Shedeur Sanders wasn't the only player to receive a prank call during the 2025 NFL Draft. In fact, he wasn't even the best prospect involved in the unfortunate trend. That "honor" belongs to former Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter, who received a prank call before the New York Giants selected him No. 3 overall in the draft. Carter's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said someone called Carter pretending to be the Jacksonville Jaguars, who traded up to the No. 2 spot to select Travis Hunter. Before that pick was official, the person on the other end of the line told Carter the Jaguars were going to select him with the second pick of the draft. Carter and Rosenhaus quickly figured out it was a fake call, which saved them from telling Carter's entire family he was going to the Jaguars. The pranks keep coming: it turns out that Abdul Carter also got a prank call during the second pick in which the caller said he was from the Jaguars and they were going to select him with the No. 2 overall pick. 'It's unfortunate that these private numbers are getting to the… — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 30, 2025 While the prank call might have been disappointing, Carter didn't wait long to hear his name called. The Giants took him off the board with the next pick of the draft. Still, the call is yet another disappointing development from the 2025 NFL Draft. A number of players, including Carter, Sanders, Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren, Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Mason Graham and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kyle McCord all received prank calls during the event. Sanders' call became the most prominent of those pranks after video emerged of the incident. In the video, a man called Sanders and pretended to be New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis. The man impersonating Loomis said the team would pick Sanders. That didn't happen, and Sanders lasted until the fifth round of the draft, when the Browns made him the 144th selection. The Sanders situation drew even more attention after Jax Ulbrich, son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, claimed responsibility and apologized to Sanders. Jax was spotted in the prank-call video, though was not the person on the phone. He obtained Sanders' number from his father's iPad. The Falcons and Jeff were fined for the incident. The NFL said Wednesday it was looking into the other prank calls and did not believe they were related to Sanders' call. Prank calls during the draft are not a new phenomenon. Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Cooper DeJean received a prank call during the 2024 NFL Draft before he went to the Eagles in the second round. Given the amount of prank calls — and the prominent names involved — that emerged following the 2025 draft, the league may look to take action to prevent the situation from occurring again. While the NFL is unlikely to stop every future prank call, it's not a good look when so many elite prospects are sharing horror stories from what is supposed to be the best day of their lives.
