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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pittsburgh Steelers Calling about Buccaneers Receiver
Pittsburgh Steelers Calling about Buccaneers Receiver originally appeared on Athlon Sports. It was previously written about how crowded the wide receiver room is becoming in Tampa Bay. With the team drafting rookies Emeka Egbuka, expecting the return of injured star Chris Godwin alongside Mike Evans, and the emergence of Jalen McMillan in his absence, they are definitely crowded at the position. Advertisement The Pittsburgh Steelers may be willing to help alleviate some of the issue. According to the below note from Zachary Smith of Steelers Now, the Steelers have inquired as to the availability of speedy wide receiver Trey Palmer. Palmer, a former sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft from the LSU Tigers, has always shown his ability to take the top off of the defense with his speed, running a blazing 4.33 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. He won a championship in 2019 with the Tigers. As you may recall, that team was loaded at receiver as well with the likes of Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and Terrace Marshall Jr. Advertisement While he has not put up any eye-popping statistics, he would bring a viable fill-in for the recently departed George Pickens. Palmer has shown very consistent hands, and other than the three fumbles his rookie year, he managed to keep from fumbling in 2024. The Steelers definitely need the help at receiver, and the Buccaneers are always looking to add more draft capital. If the Buccaneers could manage anywhere from a fourth to sixth round pick for a guy who they are currently not using, it may benefit both teams. They always seem to find talent buried late in the draft, and one example of this is their fourth-round find from last year, Bucky Irving. Related: Buccaneers Offensive Star Ranked Near Top of NFL Related: Buccaneers Offensive Weapons Get Impressive Ranking This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Giants Announce Big Jaxson Dart News With 4-Word Message
Giants Announce Big Jaxson Dart News With 4-Word Message originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Giants are one of the most intriguing teams entering the 2025 NFL season. After another poor campaign in 2024, the NFC East squad added two exciting prospects in the first round of this year's draft. Advertisement Abdul Carter was selected with the No. 3 overall pick to boost the Giants' defense before they traded a third-round pick to go back into the first and get Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss. Carter already signed his contract and picked his jersey number, ending an interesting saga. Dart had his number secured, but he was yet to sign his contract with the "Big Blue." New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart at the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Lee-Imagn Images The wait ended on Friday, as Dart inked his four-year, $17 million rookie deal with the Giants, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Following Friday's OTA practice, the prospect finally made it official, becoming the fifth member of the seven-player draft class to sign his first NFL contract. Advertisement The Giants took to social media to announce the big news, writing a four-word message to hype up one of their new players and the one who carries the most expectations. The Giants have huge plans with Dart, who is considered the quarterback of the future. Despite having two veterans who expect to play, Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, Dart is also expected to get reps in training camp and during the season. Brian Daboll has made it clear he will work closely with Dart and his coaching staff to develop the rookie, per FOX Sports' Ralph Vacchiano. "Look, the process of developing a quarterback is just that," Daboll said. "We're going to do everything we can to develop him and bring him along." Advertisement There's a lot on the line for the Giants this season. Both Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen need to deliver results soon or their time at MetLife Stadium will have its days numbered. Related: NFL GM Compares Jaxson Dart's Rookie Plans to Josh Allen This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Desmond Watson, at last check 437 pounds, hungers to play in the NFL. Will his appetite prove to be his undoing?
That was what the 6-foot-6-inch, 437-pound Watson had to say about his 464-pound former self. He has trimmed 27 pounds from his beefier days at the University of Florida and made clear that he knows he has work to do, on the field, and particularly with those morning weigh-ins. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Can we all agree, despite what heavy hints of history provide on the subject, that this ends up in a good place for Watson? He's a local kid, grew up some 20 miles from Raymond James Stadium and said it's long been his dream to make it to the NFL. Safe travels, homeboy, for sure. Advertisement Yet the health risk here, the strain on heart, metabolism, knee joints, and psyche for someone so heavy is obvious and, at the very least, challenging. A typical sumo wrestler tips 'em at about 365 pounds. No one Watson's size ever seriously could have considered playing in the NFL. More doubtful any NFL team ever gave anyone of his girth a second thought of being employed beyond, say, a spot on field maintenance or game-day concessions. Advertisement No one in this year's NFL Draft felt Watson merited a pick, including the Patriots, The Buccaneers signed Watson as one of their 15 undrafted free agents, after seeing enough of him during four seasons at Gainesville to figure he's worth auditioning as a defensive tackle/run stopper. 'We didn't get him for the Tush Push,' said Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles. More promising, Bowles added that the Buccaneers feel no need — or perhaps see no viable path? — to get Watson immediately on the roster. They see him for what he is: a project, one who, by the way, topped everyone at the NFL Combine by bench pressing 225 pounds 36 times. He also ran a 5.93 in the 40-yard dash. He's not just the fat kid in the school marching band who thought, 'Gee, wouldn't it be cool to pull on a helmet?!' 'We really thought he could play,' Bowles said, 'we just have to see how long he can stay on the field.' Extra weight can be such a cruel demon, sometimes literally tearing up players and their careers from within body and mind. Exhibit A here in Boston: Red Sox third baseman Pablo 'Kung Fu Panda' Sandoval, who arrived here, age 28, from San Francisco ahead of the 2015 season as a big-smiling, big-contract (five years/$95 million) big personality, acquired to ensure the Sox extended their string of World Series titles. He already had three Series rings in his pocket. Advertisement Weight got the best of Sandoval. Frustrated by the size of his expanding waistline and his anorexic numbers at the plate, the Sox cut him free in July 2017, willing to eat the $48.3 million remaining on his deal. The Red Sox cut Pablo Sandoval free in July 2017, willing to eat the $48.3 million remaining on his deal. Jim Davis Today, age 38, Panda plays on — as an infielder with the Staten Island FerryHawks in the Atlantic League. Thorough Monday, he was hitting .255 with six homers and a team-high 25 RBIs in 26 games. The FerryHawks website listed their 5-10 former MLB star at 245 pounds. One of the NFL's more successful big men, William 'The Refrigerator' Perry, played defensive tackle, drafted by the Bears as a first-rounder out of Clemson in 1985, He was 6-3 and played at 335 pounds. New England fans of a certain age will recall his signature moment, crashing over the line as a fullback for a TD in the Bears' 46-10 humiliation of the Patriots in Super Bowl XX. William "The Refrigerator" Perry played 8½ seasons with the Bears. Anonymous/Associated Press Perry's battle of the bulge, along with various injuries, increasingly impaired his career, though perhaps not to Panda proportions. He played 8½ seasons with the Bears, and a late tour with the Eagles filled out a 10-year career — truly impressive longevity in the churn-and-burn NFL for a man of any size. In Philadelphia, he played closer to his college weight of 390. Post-career, the ever-smiling Perry ballooned into the mid-400 pounds and had at least one extended hospital stay for diabetes. He eventually became confined to a wheelchair, with his brother, ex-NFLer Michael Dean Perry, reportedly appointed his guardian and conservator. Advertisement Minicamp is a long, long way from any given Sunday, especially for undrafted free agents such as Desmond Watson. For today, he stands but a snap away from being yesterday's news or tomorrow's hero, placing him on even ground with everyone else in the NFL. We now begin to find out if he can balance 437 pounds in his favor or if his appetite proves to be his undoing. Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at
New York Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Tennessee sharpshooter Chaz Lanier makes his Nets NBA draft pitch
Shooting is the single most coveted skill in the NBA, and the Nets on Thursday worked out the top shooter in the upcoming draft. At least, that's how the confident Chaz Lanier views himself. Advertisement 'I believe I'm the best shooter in the draft,' Lanier told The Post. 'But [also] a competitor, a winner, somebody who wants to win and is going to bring the best effort to the team. 'I feel like I have a proven track record, and I bring maturity and experience onto any team who drafts me. I've shown that I can adapt and continue to develop. And I feel like I'm a more mature and experienced guy who can contribute the right way, and immediately.' Lanier being the draft's top marksman might not be hyperbole. The 6-foot-4 Tennessee off-guard averaged 18 points on 39.5 percent shooting from 3-point territory this season. Advertisement His middling defense and age (23) have him 34th on Tankathon's Big Board and 42nd on ESPN's, putting him in range of the Nets with the No. 36 pick. The Nets also have picks No. 26 and 27, and there are indications some teams view him as a potential first-round target. But Lanier spun that age as experience, as a strong suit. Advertisement 3 Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier, working out at the NFL Combine earlier in the month, worked out with the Nets on May 29, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images 'Some people look at age as a bad thing, and some look at it as a good thing, so I try and put it out there as a good thing,' Lanier said. 'I'm a more mature and experienced player who can bring shooting immediately. A lot of guys are going back to school nowadays with NIL, so the draft is leaning more towards a little bit older guys now … so there's a lot of positives to it.' Lanier worked out with five other prospects Thursday at HSS Training Center, including Volunteers teammate Jahmai Mashack and Colorado State guard Nique Clifford, tabbed to go in the middle of the first round. 3 Chaz Lanier drives to the basket during the NBA Draft Combine on May 13, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images Advertisement Lanier met several Nets players and personnel. 'I pretty much got to meet everybody, from the head coach Jordi Fernández to the assistant GM, the GM,' Lanier said. 'The whole front office was there and the coaching staff, so it was great. It was a great opportunity.' In Lanier's last season at North Florida before transferring, he led the country in offensive efficiency, and his 44 percent from deep also led the nation (among players averaging seven-plus attempts). 3 Volunteers guard Chaz Lanier goes up for a layup during Tennessee's Elite Eight loss to Houston. AP He won the Jerry West Award this season at Tennessee as the nation's top shooting guard, was fourth in the country in 3s (123) and in the 99th percentile in win shares (5.2). A strong draft combine showing also raised Lanier's stock. He led all prospects in spot-up shooting and free-throw shooting. He finished third in standing vertical leap, fifth in lane agility and second in aggregate shooting, trailing only Alabama's Mark Sears. Follow all the basketball buzz in Brooklyn Sign up for Inside the Nets by Brian Lewis, exclusively on Sports+. Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters Advertisement His skill set could come in handy for a Nets team that wants to take 3s (top 10 in attempts last season) but can't hit them (bottom 10 in percentage). Considering they're in a rebuild, there is a runway toward playing time. 'Definitely a golden opportunity. I feel like everything needs shooting, especially in today's league and the way most teams play,' Lanier said. 'And in Brooklyn, they play an unselfish brand of basketball. You're out there on the court having a great time with your teammates and playing defense, most importantly. 'I really admire the way coach Jordi Fernández really runs the organization. The culture is amazing. Being able to meet with everybody and all the staff, getting to meet some of the players you can tell everybody's bought into the culture. It's not about 'me,' it's about 'we.' And I really admire that about what coach is building.'
Time of India
5 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Chiefs bet big on rookie rushers– Will Omar Norman-Lott and Ashton Gillotte live up to the hype?
Chiefs' bet big on rookie rushers (Image via AP) As the reigning champions gear up for another title run, the Kansas City Chiefs are putting their trust in young, high-motor defenders to elevate their already formidable defense. Among the most talked-about rookies is Omar Norman-Lott along with Ashton Gillotte whose relentless energy and pass-rushing potential have earned them early praise from both coaches and teammates. Praised by coaches and execs, the rookie rushers are emerging as a high-motor weapon up front Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs coaching staff have taken note of the intensity and upside shown by the rookie defensive class, which includes Omar Norman-Lott, Felix Anudike-Uzomah, and Ashton Gillotte. Their "relentless" approach is seen as a sign of the team's bright defensive future. Norman-Lott, at 6-foot-2 and 291 pounds, brings explosiveness, quickness, and nonstop motor to the interior line, an area that has struggled to maintain pressure without Chris Jones on the field. During his two years at Tennessee, after transferring from Arizona State, he notched 44 tackles and 9.5 sacks, standing out as a disruptive force in the middle. His impact hasn't gone unnoticed by Chiefs insiders. 'You can never have enough of them,' said Chiefs executive Terry Bradway. 'I think Omarr with his inside rush and Ashton just with his versatility, we thought those guys are just too hard to find.' Former Chiefs defensive end Leger Douzable emphasized the team's need for someone like Norman-Lott, 'He fills a big need. That twitch and pass-rush potential from the interior—outside of Chris Jones, Kansas City just didn't have it.' Ashton Gillotte brings burst and flexibility off the edge, standing out at the NFL Combine with elite speed-power traits. His quick hands, low pad level, and leverage make him a high-upside prospect. A shared college D-line coach with Karlaftis could ease his transition into the Chiefs' system. Gillotte made serious noise in 2023, delivering a breakout performance that turned heads across the league. Over 14 games, he racked up 11 sacks and led his team with 10 tackles for loss, showcasing both consistency and game-changing ability. His mix of speed, power, and awareness made him a constant threat off the edge. Chiefs executive Terry Bradway summed it up perfectly, calling Gillotte 'the total package' a rare compliment for a rookie, and one that hints at the high expectations the team already has for him. "This kid plays a hundred miles an hour," he said. "He's everything you want in a football player. From makeup to how he plays the game ... the guy is absolutely relentless." Also read: 'That's the most loser mentality chant': Jason Kelce slams U.S. soccer chants, Travis Kelce backs fiery new motto With a growing defensive identity rooted in youth and aggression, both Norman-Lott and Gillotte could be a key piece in helping the Chiefs sustain their dominance on both sides of the ball. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
