Latest news with #Fins
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
NFL Preseason Betting Odds, Picks For Dolphins-Bears, Saints-Chargers
On a pivotal afternoon in the battle to be QB1 in New Orleans, all eyes will be on Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough in Saints vs. Chargers. On a pivotal afternoon in the battle to be QB1 in New Orleans, all eyes will be on Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough in Saints vs. Chargers. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Week 1 of the 2025 NFL preseason is almost in the books. But before turning the page to the second week of exhibition action, football fans have two more intriguing games to check out on Sunday afternoon. First, the Dolphins visit the Bears in a clash of two teams with significant questions at quarterback. That one kicks off at 1 p.m. EDT on NFL Network. At 4 p.m. EDT, a huge game for New Orleans takes place in Los Angeles, as the Saints and Chargers meet at SoFi Stadium (more on why this game is a must-see for Saints fans below). Dolphins vs. Bears Betting Odds DK FD bet365 MIA spread +2.5 (-115) +2.5 (-115) +2.5 (-110) CHI spread -2.5 (-105) -2.5 (-105) -2.5 (-110) MIA ML +110 +105 +120 CHI ML -130 -130 -140 Total 37.5 (o-118; u-102) 37.5 (o-115; u-105) 37.5 (o-110; u-110) How To Watch Dolphins vs. Bears Kickoff: 1 p.m. EDT TV: NFL Network Dolphins vs. Bears Betting News, Analysis, Pick We know that Bears QB Tyson Bagent will get the start in this game. Otherwise, we're in the dark on which players will take most of the reps in Dolphins vs. Bears. It's safe to assume Dolphins starter Tua Tagovailoa will play very little, if at all, but Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel has not revealed how he plans to split up the reps between backup Zach Wilson and seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers. If this becomes a duel between Bagent and Zach Wilson, I'd give the slight edge to Wilson and the Fins. Keep in mind that the Bears also have Case Keenum in the mix, though, as Bagent and Keenum are in an open battle to be Caleb Williams' backup. That tells me to expect a solid offensive output by Chicago by the time this one's in the books, so give me the Bears to go over their modest team total of 20.5. In fact, Chicago to score at least three touchdowns is particularly tempting at plus-money over at DK. Dolphins vs. Bears best bet: Bears Team Total Over 20.5 (+105 at DraftKings) -- 1 unit Saints vs. Chargers Betting Odds DK FD bet365 NO spread +2.5 (-115) +2.5 (-110) +2 (-110) LAC spread -2.5 (-105) -2.5 (-110) -2 (-110) NO ML +120 +120 +115 LAC ML -142 -140 -135 Total 38.5 (o-112; u-108) 38.5 (o-110; u-110) 38 (o-110; u-110) How To Watch Saints vs. Chargers Kickoff: 4 p.m. EDT TV: NFL Net Saints vs. Chargers Betting News, Analysis, Pick Battles for the starting quarterback job typically mean high point totals for that team. But at the moment, I'm far from bullish on either Spencer Rattler or Tyler Shough, even in the preseason. It's worth noting that Rattler was in an unenviable situation a year ago in terms of surrounding talent. Still, his numbers as a rookie made it hard to be optimistic about his future. Rattler made seven appearances (including six starts) in 2024. He completed 56 percent of his passes or fewer in five of those games. His average of 5.8 yards per attempt across 228 passes was also discouraging -- and so was the fact that he led New Orleans to just 10 points or fewer four times in seven appearances. So no, I'm not expecting big things from him today, especially not against a Chargers D that shut down Hendon Hooker and veteran Kyle Allen in the Hallf of Fame Game last week. As for Tyler Shough, I'll believe the 26-year-old rookie is an NFL-level QB when I see it. The Chargers, on the other hand, are letting Taylor Heinicke and Trey Lance battle it out for the No. 2 QB spot behind Justin Herbert, and I expect a solid offensive showing by Heinicke and Co. Heinicke, who will start this game, is looking to one-up a solid effort by Lance after the former top-5 pick went 13-for-20 for 120 yards and 2 TDs while playing all but three possessions in the Hall of Fame Game last Thursday. Give me the Chargers to win. And if there's one aggressive play worth making today, it's backing Jim Harbaugh's team to make it a long day for Rattler and Shough and not just come out on top, but do so convincingly. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through any links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Greg Cote's Hot Button Top 10: Messi on mend, Fins in PS1, Canes top-10 & more
GREG COTE'S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (AUGUST 10): WHAT IN SPORTS HAS GRABBED US THIS WEEK: Messi on the mend, Fins open preseason, Canes top-10, Marlins stumble, FedEx Cup, speedboats, Heat heist bust, MLB breaks gender barrier and more! Welcome to the 113th edition of HB10, bringing you what's on our minds from a Miami lens and accentuating stuff that's big, weird, damnable, funny or worth needling as the sports week past pivots to the week ahead: 1. INTER MIAMI: Herons, sans Messi, still sail into Leagues Cup quarters: Miami cashed a 3-1 home win over Pumas to sail into the quarterfinals of the Leagues Cup, the second-year MLS vs. Mexico tournament. Herons did it even with Lionel Messi out nursing a right thigh injury. Coach Javier Mascherano calls Messi's injury 'slight' but he should be seen as iffy to perhaps doubtful as a precaution tonight as Miami resumes MLS play at rival Orlando City. Team wants King Leo ready Aug. 19 for its Leagues Cup knockout-round game inthe quarters, opponent yet unknown. 2. DOLPHINS: Fins enrich team's 'heartbeat' as preseason opens today: First of three exhtibition games for Miami is this/Sunday afternoon in Chicago, after earlier joint pactecs with the Bears. Expect to see little of the most prominent starters, and to glean little of significance from the final outcome. What was meaningful was the Fins enriching defensive tackle Zach Sieler with a 3-year, $64 million extension. Defensive chief Anthony Weaver calls him the 'heartbeat of the defense,' and Miami will need Sieler and the front-seven to be dominant if Miami is to shed its low outside expecations in '25. 3. HURRICANES: UM cracks top-10 in Coaches Poll as opener nears: Miami is No. 10 in the initial Coaches Poll, The U's highest preseason ranking since 2018 -- while Notre Dame is No. 5 as the old rivals prepare to open the season Aug. 31 in Miami. The Canes and new QB Carson Beck play two other Top 25 teams in 16-SMU and 17-Florida. (The Associated Press preseason poll is not yet out.) UM under Mario Cristobal has won three straight season openers since last losing out the gate to No. 1 Alabama in 2021. 4. MARLINS: Can Miami's playoff hopes survive 11-game road trip?: The Marlins were swept in a doubleeader in Atanta on Saturday to fall to 57-60 after an 11-5 run. Fish are now six games back in an uphill chase for an NL wild-card spot as they try to finish above .500. But they must survive the season's longest road trip -- 11 games -- to do it. After playing Atlanta again today Miami is on to Clevland and then Boston. 5. GOLF: Fleetwood leads field in first leg of FedEx Championship: In the biggest assemblage of PGA Tour stars since Happy Gilmore 2, Tommy Fleetwood leads Justin Rose by one stroke and Scottie Scheffler by two entering today's final round of the first leg of the FedEx Championship playoffs in Memphis. The event, in its 19th year, contimues with events in Owings Mills, Md. and Atlanta. The fight for the FedEx Cup is a season-long points competition that ends with three events to crown a champ in what some see as the spirt's fifth major. Scheffler won last year. 6. SPEEDBOATS: Miami readies to host historic electric powerboat race: Miami this November will host the season finale of the E1 World Championship, an all-electric powerboat racing series -- the first event in North America for the fledgling green sport. The race will be run off Virginia Key near the historic Miami Marine Stadium, once the heart of American powerboat racing. Prominent team investors include Miami Grammy winner Marc Anthony, Will Smith and ubiquitous Tom Brady. 7. HEAT: Ex-Miami cop arrested in massive jerseys/merchandise heist: You knew it had to be an inside job. It was. A retired City of Miami police veteran, Marcos Thomas Perez, 62, was arrested and has pleaded not guilty to a federal charge of selling hundreds of stolen Miami Heat game-worn jerseys and other memorabilia valued in the millions to online brokers the past three years. In one transaction it is alleged Perez sold a LeBron James jersey worn in the NBA Finals for about $100,000 and it later sold at auction for $3.7 million. Perez had been a longtime Heat security officer. 8. MLB: Long time coming as baseball unveils first female umpire: Jen Pawol, 48, from New Jersey, became first female ump to work an MLB game in Saturday's Marlins-Braves doubleheader in Atlanta. She'll work home plate today. Pawol had worked spring training games the past two years. My take on this history finally being made? It's about damned time! MLB's awakening comes 28 years after the gender barrier was erased in the NBA and 10 years after it ended in the NFL. Still waiting on the NHL. 9. TENNIS: U.S. Open payday hike sets new standard for sport: The U.S. Open in New York starts Aug. 25 and players have more incentive than ever. Why? $$. Men's and women's champions this year will earn a record $5 million each (a 39 percent increase) from a total purse that tops $90 million (a 20% hike). Reigning champs Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka are early betting favorites to repeat, Sinner just ahead of Carlos Alcaraz and Sabalenka chased by Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff. 10. SPORTS BUSINESS: Front Office Sports grew from a U-Miami classroom: Front Office Sports, which has grown just this half-decade into a powerhouse media and news outlet covering the business of sports, was conceived and co-founded by Adam White while a student in the University of Miami's Sports Administration program. 'We started in 2017 as a class project and over the next four years it evolved into a daily news platform,' said White, currently on the FOS directory as Founder/CEO. The driving philosophy (further verified by the preceding item): 'Every sports story is a business story.' THE LIST: MARLINS WINNING SEASONS: The Miami Marlins enter Sunday with a xx-xx record. The only eight times in 33 seasons the Fish have finished above .500: Year Record, Pct. Manager Top player 2023 84-78, .519 Skip Schumaker Jesus Luzardo 2020 31-29, .517 Don Mattingly Brian Anderson 2009 87-75, .537 Fredi Gonzalez Hanley Ramirez 2008 84-77, .522 Fredi Gonzalez Hanley Ramirez 2005 83-79, .512 Jack McKeon Dontrelle Willis 2004 83-79, .512 Jack McKeon Carl Pavano 2003 91-71, .562 McKeon/Jeff Torborg Pudge Rodriguez 1997 92-70, .568 Jim Leyland Kevin Brown Notes: Top player refers to team leader in WAR (wins above replacement). 2020 season was shortened because of pandemic. Won World Series in 2003 and 1997. Other select most recent stuff from me: Asked & answered: Solving 8 biggest questions in Miami sports today // Cowboys owner Jerry Jones still chasing glory -- and attention // Previous HB10 // GCS 282 pod: Golic Jr., #1 Herb reveal // Poll Dance: What Miami team will win championship next? // This one goal for Dolphins and another for Hurricanes will define success or failure in 2025 // Why Miami staunchly remains a Football Town even as Dolphins and Canes disappoint // Strobe lights? Trajekt Arc? How Marlins' trust in youth, player-development is paying off // Jalen Ramsey, now Asante Samuel drama = Dolphins mess at cornerback // Heat getting 3-point ace Powell a pickpocket-win for Riley // Champion Panthers keep revving this summer while Heat stays quiet // Dolphins' gamble on Waller after Ramsey & Smith for Fitzpatrick was net loss // Inter Miami falls to PSG but won big to reach Club World Cup final 16 // Panthers celebrate as 1 of 4 South Florida sports dynasties -- with no end near // Major news on future of Dan Le Batard Show, Meadowlark Media, DraftKings // A tribute to Miami sports legend Jimmy Johnson as he retires from Fox TV // 15 years later, Dolphins Cancer Challenge is the life-saving legacy of Jim Mandich // And my latest podcast:
Miami Herald
31-07-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Cote: How the Dolphins and Canes can ensure success in 2025
Across the globe, across cultures, we like our calendar and its seasons to represent something bigger than a number of days. In the Chinese zodiac, for example, this is the Year of the Snake. (Seems like a weird thing to celebrate, but that's Sheng Xiao!) In this spirit, today we hereby declare and resolve that it be all but etched in Biblical stone: In Miami football, 2025 shall be the Year of No Excuses. Those have been used up by the Dolphins and Hurricanes for most of this quarter century. The trouble with sports is there are always plenty left in reserve, right? Excuses. Reasons to disappoint. They are low-hanging fruit, always within reach. A tough schedule. Another concussion. Nobody to play cornerback. But after 20 years of these excuses they begin to all sound dog-ate-my-homework lame. Enough! So, Mike McDaniel and Mario Cristobal, please raise your right hands and repeat after me: 'I, entering my fourth season as head coach, accept complete accountability and vow that our fans will see progress and feel encouraged and hopeful after the final game of the season instead of feeling let-down once again.' Hey, we're not asking for miracles here. Not demanding championships or greatness this year. We'll take good and do cartwheels for really good. But what defines success for the Dolphins and Canes in '25? It is different for each. Time to outline the parameters, to set the goals that must be met. DOLPHINS: The pro team is up first because Dolfans have suffered longer and thus enjoy dubious seniority. If you were around for Miami's last Super Bowl win (1973), you loved Larry Csonka and you're old. If you recall the Fins' last Super Bowl appearance (1984), you loved Dan Marino and you'e feeling old. Fins are coming off an 8-9 season and open the preseason August 10, with the season opener September 7 at Indianapolis. Must-do in '25: WIN A DAMNED PLAYOFF GAME! No excuses. The Dolphins last won a playoff game on December 30, 2000. Back then a loaf of bread cost five cents. (OK that's an exaggeration for dramatic effect.) Miami is 0-5 in the postseason since. This marks the 25th season since that last win. Happy anniversary? No team in the NFL carries the yoke of a playoff-victory drought that long. None. Whatever other franchise you consider to be the epitome of losing has won a playoff game more recently. That, by a very real barometer, pretty much makes the Dolphins the epitome of losing at the moment. 1. Dire cornerback situation. No worries, though, right? It's not as if league MVP Josh Allen is an AFC East rival or that the NFL is known for passing. No NFL team has a cornerback situation as thin as Miami's. (Which would make a decent epitaph for geneal manager Chris Grier's time with the Dolphins if that's what ushers him out.) 2. Another Tua Tagovailoa concussion. Has it become 'when, not if'? But at least the Fins have a proven-good backup quarterback. (Oops, no they don't.) 3. Questions at offensive line, with second-year man Patrick Paul replacing retired Terron Armstead at left tackle and likely a rookie starter at one guard spot. 1. Pass rush/run defense. There are ways the defense, with stability under second-year coordinator Anthony Weaver, can minimize its corneback problems. The return from injury of edge defenders Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb, Zach Sieler and rising star Chop Robinson and the addition of top draftee Kenneth Grant populate a formidable front seven. 2. A healthy Tagovailoa (knock wood) still has ample weapons in Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and the speed of backs De'Von Achane and Jaylen Wright. McDaniel just has to nudge these parts back to the explosiveness he helped make happen in 2022-23. 3. Miami's first-half schedule is friendly, with 'at Buffalo' the only scary game of the first eight. Our likelihood of Dolphins winning a damned playoff game: 35%. HURRICANES: On the college side of town, Miami's last of five national championships was won in the 2001 season. Ken Dorsey and Clinton Portis ruled. The school's last top-10 finish was in 2003. (*) HURRICANES: On the college side of town, Miami's last of five national championships was won in the 2001 season. Ken Dorsey and Clinton Portis ruled. The school's last top-10 finish was in 2003. Must-do in '25: MAKE THE 12-TEAM COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF! No excuses. The CFP's expansion from four teams to 12 last year changed everything for coaches such as Cristobal and teams like Miami. Suddenly, the sport's second-tier teams, the wannabe's, had renewed hope. And last year's 10-2 regular season found the Canes oh-so-close to selection, just missing the 12th spot. Cristobal has gone five wins to seven to 10 in this three seasons and his '25 team is tied for the 11th-best national-championship betting odds — on the edge of playoff contention again. 1. The schedule. UM is No. 21 in ESPN's preseason rankings. Opponents include No. 7 (Notre Dame in the opener), No. 15 (SMU) and No. 19 (Florida), as well as No. 22 Louisville. Canes likely must win at least two of those games and run the table on the rest of the schedule to earn a CFP invite. 2. Quarterback Carson Beck. Miami's new QB1 had a full green light at Thursday's first pactice. Still, he is coming back from offseason elbow surgery on his throwing arm and had turnover issues at Georgia last season. Will he be the star Cam Ward was? 3. Upsets. Miami in Cristobal's tenure has suffered losses to Middle Tennessee State, Rutgers and six other games in which the Canes were favored. Those are the pratfalls playoff teams can't make. 1. The secondary. Poor pass defense cost UM a place in the ACC Championship Game last season and a direct path into the CFP. Now, that position weakness has turned to strength with transfer-portal adds such as Charles Brantley from Michigan State and Xavier Lucas from Wisconsin, plus the return of freshman All-American OJ Frederique Jr. 2. Quarterback Carson Beck. Cam Ward set Miami passing records, finished fourth for the Heisman Trophy and was the No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick — and his departure might have left a crater. But Cristobal and truckloads of NIL money lured Beck from Georgia in the portal for continued solidity at the essential postion. 3. The schedule. Miami's toughest three games — the opener vs. Notre Dame, Florida three weeks later, then Louisville in October — are all home games. A November game at SMU figures as The U's lone rough road test. Our likelihood of Hurricanes making the 12-team CFP: 65%. For the Dolphins and Canes, let the Year of No Excuses begin.
Yahoo
25-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Miami Dolphins superfan Ian 'Big E' Berger in need of partial liver donation
Miami Dolphins superfan Ian "Big E" Berger recently had a streak of 13 seasons of never missing a home game, including preseason, broken. "I missed three games due to being in the hospital," Berger said. "However, I was able to watch those games from my hospital bed with my Fins gear on." Berger has been a Dolphins fan for 40 years. He cites Zach Thomas as his favorite all-time player, followed by Dan Marino and Jason Taylor. Big E's fandom is among the stories being highlighted as part of the USA TODAY Network's search for the nation's ultimate sports fan. A select number of fans will advance to a bracket-style competition in September to crown a champion. Berger's favorite current players are Tua Tagovailoa, Jaylen Waddle and Zach Sieler. It's no mistake Berger's nickname is "Big E" as he is now 6-foot-6, 250 pounds. And he's been much bigger. "I've lost 90 pounds due to my illness," said Berger, of Coconut Creek. "I'm happy about being thinner, but wish I had done it on my terms." Berger represented the Dolphins as their official "Fan of the Year" in 2020. And so many Dolphins fans are familiar with his ongoing medical battle. In October 2024, Berger was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, which is an autoimmune disorder that attacks the liver and ultimately blocks bile ducts. Bile is forced outside of the liver walls and it destroys the organ. Berger has stage 4 cirrhosis, which has led to the need for a liver transplant. For now, Berger has two tubes that are connected to his liver that exit his body through his abdomen and are also connected to his lower intestine. Berger's most recent bloodwork and MRI also revealed signs of possible bile-duct cancer, known as cholangiocarcinoma. 'Devastating news, but I'll be fighting!' Berger says. Berger is in need of someone to donate a part of their liver. In the human body, livers actually grow back, which means he is in search of someone willing to offer a partial donation. Berger, who has helped raise about $90,000 for Dolphins Challenge Cancer over the past six years, simply hopes to be able to live a normal, healthy life. To learn more about how to help, and/or to see if you may be qualified to donate, visit Big E's page on the National Kidney Registration. ( "There's no place I'd rather be during football season than Hard Rock Stadium!" Berger said. The Dolphins have not won a playoff game since 2000, so Dolphins fans often have a unique perspective of fandom. Here is Big E's: "I think that being a Dolphins fan is like being in a relationship. You try to give advice, and they don't listen. You have your good times together and you have your bad times together, but you still stay together. And sometimes you don't feel like supporting them, but you still show up because you love them so much." Name: Ian "Big E" Berger Hometown/residence: Coconut Creek, Florida Team: Miami Dolphins Years of fandom: 40 How it started: My grandfather took me to my first Dolphins game at the Orange Bowl in 1985. How it's going: There have been many ups and downs over the past 40 years for the team. The '90s were fun, but unfortunately, there have been more downs than ups since then. However, my fandom has never wavered. "This will be our year" is an annual motto in our household. Has it caused you to miss any major life events? I've never missed any major life events because of the Dolphins. However, when my wife and I went on our honeymoon on a cruise over 20 years ago, it was important that the Dolphins vs Green Bay Packers Monday Night Football game was showing somewhere on the boat. I was the only Fins fan watching the game in a sea of Packers fans by the pool. Then, during the birth of our first daughter, the Dolphins were playing the 49ers right after she was born. While I wasn't allowed to be in some of the surgical rooms with my wife and newborn, I was able to find an empty hospital room to watch the game. Most memorable moment as a fan of the Dolphins: My youngest daughter and I staying until the end of the 7+ hour Dolphins vs Titans game. It was the season opener and my daughter wanted to stay until the end, as did I. It was special because I got to spend that time with my daughter and we got to witness a historic game with a Dolphins win. Also, my Dad and I attending the last home Dolphins playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens. Although we lost that game, the energy of the Fins fans leading up to that game, walking up the helixes for the stadium, entering the stadium, was incredible. And also, my wife and I attending the Dolphins vs Broncos game a few years ago to watch the Dolphins score 70 points. Most forgettable moment as a fan of the Dolphins: The 2023 Dolphins were 9-3 heading into Week 14 Monday Night Football game against the Titans. The Dolphins had control of the game, and everyone in attendance was excited that the Fins were going to go to 10-3 on the season with a tough stretch left to close out the year. But with three minutes left and being down by 14 points, the Titans came back to beat the Dolphins. And, the Dolphins ended up losing a home playoff game due to this game and the other losses that followed. Decembers have not been good for the Dolphins for a very long time. Any regrets? I think my only regret would be that I didn't have the opportunity to meet Don Shula prior to his passing. He would have been the one person I would have loved to talk to and listen to his stories and coaching advice. Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@ and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Why Miami Dolphins superfan Ian 'Big E' Berger can't stop loving his team
USA Today
30-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Steelers-Dolphins trade: Who won and lost as Jalen Ramsey, Minkah Fitzpatrick get moved?
June is typically the quietest month on the NFL calendar – for whatever that's worth. But Monday offered further proof that America's favorite sports league never really goes dormant, the final day of the month coming with quite the exclamation point as the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins completed a trade as notable as any that's occurred this offseason. CB Jalen Ramsey and TE Jonnu Smith are headed to the Steel City, while FS Minkah Fitzpatrick returns to South Florida eight years after the Fins took him with the 11th selection of the 2018 draft. The teams also swapped Day 3 picks of the 2027 draft, Miami upgrading with a fifth-rounder in exchange for a seventh-rounder. On a day when the winners and losers are usually reserved for Wimbledon, we've got quite a few more to sort through … WINNERS Not only did the three-time All-Pro engineer his departure from Miami, the Steelers also gave Ramsey a $1.5 million raise – he'll be paid $26.6 million in 2025, according to ESPN and the NFL Network. He jumps to a team seemingly in better position to contend as he heads into the 10th season of his exceptional pro career, and – as a defensive back – it certainly doesn't hurt to play behind a pass rush that includes T.J. Watt (presumably), Cam Heyward an Alex Highsmith, among others. TRADE GRADES: Report cards for Steelers, Dolphins following blockbuster The Steelers' new quarterback and offensive coordinator, respectively, welcome another weapon with the arrival of Jonnu Smith. Whether it was his protection, body, age or scheme (and maybe all of the above), Rodgers spent much of last season getting the ball out quickly and throwing down the seams in the intermediate part of the field – which means Jonnu Smith could get a steady of diet balls. And he should hit the ground running given this will be his third stint playing for Arthur Smith, who also coached him in Tennessee and Atlanta and now has another component for his attack on whom he can rely. Much has been made of the fact that Tomlin, who's about to embark on his 19th season as Pittsburgh's head coach has never suffered a losing season … nor has the man who took the Steelers to the Super Bowl twice in his first four years won a playoff game since the 2016 postseason. But you can't accuse him or Khan, entering his fourth season as general manager, of operating conservatively in recent months. Monday's deal follows the long-awaited signing of Rodgers and trade for WR DK Metcalf plus the departure of WR George Pickens in recent months, among other moves. TBD whether a more aggressive approach translates into a deeper playoff run, but it does seem to indicate a shifting mindset for a team that might up hosting a very eventful draft in 2026 – regardless of what happens in 2025, which is likely to be Rodgers' final ride. All due respect to Robert Woods, Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, Scotty Miller, Ben Skowronek and others, but Metcalf remains the only bona fide wideout threat on this roster – though it's still worth wondering if Khan makes a run at an unsigned veteran like Keenan Allen or Amari Cooper. Regardless, Smith instantly provides a genuine threat in the intermediate part of the field – one who will doubtless make opposing safeties think twice about shading too far toward Metcalf on the boundary and should consequently create more opportunities for a player who averaged 121 targets during his six seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. Speaking of target share, barring the acquisition of an established pass-catching tight end – and that could still happen – it's not immediately clear who gets the bulk of the 111 Smith had for the Dolphins in 2024. Regardless, Achane (his 78 receptions last season trailed only Smith and WR Tyreek Hill for the Dolphins), a running back whose speed is especially frightening when he has space to operate, figures to benefit. And given QB Tua Tagovailoa's penchant to get the ball out quickly − per Next Gen Stats, his average time to throw, 2.42 seconds, was the fastest among qualifying quarterbacks in 2024 − Achane seems particularly likely to see more balls coming his way. And, for what it's worth, Achane may also have to run the ball more, too – out of necessity – though he does seem to be a guy where less volume means more big plays, his touches more than doubling to 281 in 2024, though his yards per fell by more than 2 yards. Not only does he get to team up with Rodgers while joining a scheme he's intimately familiar with, the veteran tight end gets his contract extended through the 2026 season, during which he stands to make $12 million. LOSERS He's coming off a career year, his 88 catches for 884 yards and eight touchdowns for the Dolphins last season rendering Smith one of the most productive tight ends in the league. As well as he should fit into Pittsburgh's offense, Smith is highly unlikely to ever approach those numbers again with this team (he never caught more than 50 passes in a season during his other hitches with Arthur Smith). But at least the Steelers have already handsomely rewarded Jonnu Smith, who signed a two-year, $8.4 million deal with Miami last year. As much as Arthur Smith fancies double- and triple-tight sets, Jonnu Smith's arrival is going to cut significantly into the playing time for Pittsburgh's three other tight ends. Washington is mostly a glorified tackle, so his role and snap count may not change all that much. But Freiermuth's numbers seem like to suffer and Heyward, the younger brother of team captain Cam Heyward, could even find himself on the roster bubble. It's rare to see a Round 1 pick dealt midway through his second season, but Fitzpatrick wanted out of Miami in 2019 – he didn't feel like his abilities and role with the team aligned – yet now he's reunited with GM Chris Grier, who drafted him in the first place. Miami certainly had a hole to fill in its lineup after losing S Jevon Holland in free agency this year, so Fitzpatrick certainly helps from that standpoint. But he'll no longer get to leverage a Watt-led pass rush. And despite being a five-time Pro Bowler, including each of the past three seasons, Fitzpatrick hasn't been producing the big plays that forged his reputation years ago – generating just one turnover, total, since the start of the 2023 campaign. Smith led Miami with 88 catches last season. Now a quarterback who's eager to distribute the ball but is also prone to concussions, has lost his security blanket. Maybe this will make more sense down the line, but for right now...? Miami's GM and head coach, respectively, seem to have authored a transaction that doesn't exactly smack of "win now" – though it was clear they had to move on from Ramsey, who was ready to depart. And much as Steelers fans might be desperate for postseason success, the Dolphins haven't won a playoff game since 2000 − the longest drought in the league. Owner Stephen Ross gave his leadership a vote of confidence after last season's 8-9 finish but also said '(C)ontinuity in leadership is not to be confused with an acceptance that status quo is good enough. We will take a hard look at where we have fallen short and make the necessary changes to deliver our ultimate goal of building and sustaining a winning team that competes for championships." Hard to see how this trade cools the other kind of Florida heat Grier and McDaniel, who have now lost four team captains this offseason, are trying to beat. And the reaction one of their former players, RB Raheem Mostert, had to the trade speaks (to some level) on how things could unfold … Hot take: Be a Pro-bowler on the Dolphins, get treated like sh*t. Happy for my guys though! GO BALL OUT!! After the Baltimore Ravens recently signed CB Jaire Alexander, the AFC North now welcomes another elite corner with the arrival of Ramsey, a Pro Bowler in seven of his nine NFL seasons. It's certainly not the most welcome development for the division's high-profile quarterbacks. It remains to be seen how Pittsburgh's lineup shakes out, specifically as to whether Ramsey, always a fantastic ball hawk, gets a look at free safety or not. But that seems unlikely given a trade of this magnitude – and especially so since the Steelers have experienced players like Miles Killebrew and Juan Thornhill available to step into Fitzpatrick's role. And if Ramsey does remain at corner, it begs the question of what happens to recently signed Slay and Porter, a second-round pick in 2023. All of them play predominantly on the outside, Ramsey's 185 snaps in the slot last season nearly double the total of Slay, who spent 2024 in Philadelphia, and Porter combined in 2024. But is a 30-year-old star going to live in the slot, which was typically manned by Bishop, an undrafted rookie in 2024? It's a very solid bet that Ramsey will operate however he's most comfortable in 2025, and then the others fall into place as circumstances dictate – which may or not benefit them from an individual perspective. Are the Steelers suddenly a bona fide Super Bowl 60 threat? That will likely be primarily dictated by whatever version of Rodgers they're getting. But adding Ramsey and Smith also undoubtedly makes a team that's qualified for postseason four of the past five seasons more formidable. And even if Pittsburgh doesn't complete its 'Stairway to Seven' in 2025, the Steelers are starting to increasingly look like a team that could ambush one of the conference favorites – Kansas City, Buffalo, Baltimore – along the way while getting Tomlin that next playoff win he's been awaiting for nearly a decade. The presumed favorites to reacquire Ramsey's services – he played 3½ seasons in LA, starting in 2019, and was a key performer for the Super Bowl 56 champions in 2021 – a team that may have the best chance to dislodge the Eagles on the NFC side of the bracket in 2025 couldn't find a way to broker a reunion. Doesn't mean the defending NFC West titlists aren't still a clear and present danger to the reigning Super Bowl champions but sure seems like adding a familiar star like Ramsey would have nicely furthered the cause. All NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.
