Latest news with #New England


New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Patriots 53-man roster projection: Where do things stand after the first week of camp?
After four days of practice at the New England Patriots' training camp, it's about time for pads to come on. This week, we'll learn a lot more about the offensive line, which has shown some reasons for concern, even if it's tough to judge the group sans pads. Still, there has been enough to glean from the first few sun-soaked practices to offer up our first roster projection of the summer. There were some particularly tough decisions at running back (do you keep a fullback?), wide receiver (who has justified a spot so far?) and linebacker (has Marte Mapu done enough?). Advertisement Let's dive in. In: Drake Maye, Joshua Dobbs Out: Ben Wooldridge No surprises here. It would be a surprise if they kept Wooldridge on the 53-man roster. He's just competing for a spot on the practice squad at this point. So far, it seems like there's been a governor placed on Maye as the new staff prioritizes having him take what the defense gives, even if that's (often) short passes to running backs and tight ends. The question will be when (or if) that changes. The fear is that the O-line is so shaky that the offense has to be based on short passes. In: Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson, Antonio Gibson, Lan Larison Out: Brock Lampe, Trayveon Williams, Terrell Jennings A lot of the Patriots' offense so far looks like what you'd expect from a Josh McDaniels-led unit. Maye has been under center a lot. Two tight ends have been used frequently, even with Austin Hooper out. I wanted to put Lampe on the roster as a fullback to bulk up those big formations. But there are too many tough decisions, so Lampe narrowly missed out. In: Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, CJ Dippre Out: Jaheim Bell, Jack Westover, Gee Scott Jr. There has been a lot of work to go around at tight end with Hooper out. In those sessions, Westover has probably fared the best. But this is a bet that Dippre, an undrafted rookie, can develop. This could also be a position where the Pats look to add someone in free agency after cutdown day when they see who becomes available. In: Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams, Kayshon Boutte Out: Kendrick Bourne, Efton Chism, Ja'Lynn Polk, Javon Baker, DeMeer Blankumsee, John Jiles, Jeremiah Webb No surprise, but this is the toughest position to project for the Patriots. They could keep as many as seven, with two of Bourne, Chism, Polk and Baker making it. But it's hard for me to put Polk on the roster since he hasn't practiced yet. Same for Chism, who hasn't quite matched his production from the spring, and Bourne, who has been just OK in a group of just-OK receivers. Still, Bourne was probably my last player cut in this projection, and maybe I should have put him on with one fewer linebacker. At the top of the depth chart, Diggs and Douglas have both been excellent, while the Patriots could use another receiver separating from the pack. .@DrakeMaye2 🎯 @popshotta3 — New England Patriots (@Patriots) July 26, 2025 In: Will Campbell, Cole Strange, Garrett Bradbury, Mike Onwenu, Morgan Moses, Jared Wilson, Demontrey Jacobs, Caedan Wallace, Marcus Bryant, Tyrese Robinson Out: Vederian Lowe, Sidy Sow, Jack Conley, Layden Robinson, Ben Brown, Yasir Durant, Mehki Butler There were some tough decisions here, too. So far, it looks like Jacobs is the swing tackle, with Wallace getting some work inside and Lowe being injured. So that gets Jacobs on the team. Advertisement The bigger question comes at backup guard. Wallace working there complicates things and could be a sign of what the coaching staff thinks of Sow and Robinson. In: Milton Williams, Christian Barmore, Keion White, Khyiris Tonga, Joshua Farmer, Jaquelin Roy, Harold Landry, Anfernee Jennings, K'Lavon Chaisson, Bradyn Swinson Out: Jeremiah Pharms Jr., Elijah Ponder, Jahvaree Ritzie, Isaiah Iton, David Olajiga, Truman Jones The interior of the defensive line looks solid with Williams and Barmore, plus Tonga getting plenty of meaningful reps. The edge rushers are the ones who could make or break this defense. White and Landry are probably the top guys, but it wouldn't be a surprise if Chaisson keeps playing well and pushes for playing time. In: Robert Spillane, Christian Elliss, Jahlani Tavai, Jack Gibbens, Marte Mapu Out: Cam Riley, Monty Rice This group might be a bit bloated, but this is an important spot for special teams contributions, so we kept five instead of another receiver (Bourne). Still, Mapu would be the one to swap out for Bourne if you want more help at receiver. Mapu has spent most of his time at linebacker after being a hybrid safety/linebacker the last two years. He was beaten cleanly by Henderson during one rep at practice on Saturday. As for the top group, Elliss is pushing to get the starting reps alongside Spillane. In: Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis III, Marcus Jones, Alex Austin, Kobee Minor Out: Isaiah Bolden, Brandon Crossley, Marcellas Dial, DJ James, Miles Battle, Jordan Polk Another cornerback would be nice on this roster, but it would have to come at the expense of someone on the D-line. The battle for the fifth spot here is wide open. Bolden could nab it if he can become the team's kick or punt returner, but for now, I have Henderson as the kick returner with Jones returning punts. Advertisement In: Kyle Dugger, Jabrill Peppers, Craig Woodson, Jaylinn Hawkins, Marcus Epps Out: Dell Pettus, Josh Minkins This is probably the team's best overall position for a third straight year, especially if Dugger can return to his heights of 2023. He'll be a starter next to Peppers, but Woodson, Epps and Hawkins provide plenty of high-end depth and should also contribute on special teams. In: Andy Borregales, Bryce Baringer, Julian Ashby, Brendan Schooler Out: John Parker Romo It would be a big surprise if Romo wins the kicking job, so this quartet seems pretty safe. (Photo of Kendrick Bourne: Kris Craig / The Providence Journal / USA Today via Imagn Images)
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
DeMario ‘Pop' Douglas details Stefon Diggs' leadership off the field
DeMario 'Pop' Douglas shares the ways in which Stefon Diggs' leadership on and off the field is helping the Patriots' wide receiver group. DeMario 'Pop' Douglas details Stefon Diggs' leadership off the field originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
These US States Had The Most Car Crashes Last Year
Causation? Correlation? Coincidence? It's hard to tell, but the fact of the matter is that Boston drivers were once again declared the worst this year, and the city has extended its deal to let AI manage its terrible traffic. So it's probably no surprise to discover that, according to Visual Capitalist, using Insurify data, Massachusetts has the highest rate of car crashes in the country. Based on the number of accidents per total number of drivers, the Bay State is on top the leaderboard with a score of 6.1%. And whatever's affecting Massachusetts drivers seems to be spreading throughout New England, since New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Maine were ranked 2 through 4 with accident rates of 5.8%, 5.6%, and 5.4%, respectively. The state with the lowest accident rate was Michigan, at a mere 1.7%. Another oddity of the numbers: Fewer crashes don't seem to make an impact on states' insurance rates. Michigan has the highest insurance rates in the country, with Mitten State motorists paying some 80% more than the nationwide average. Read more: These Are The Cheap Cars That Consumer Reports Actually Recommends Buying These Cars Had The Highest Crash Rates Last Year The same Insurify data also shows what cars and trucks were involved most often in those crashes, and the results may not be what you expect: Four of the 10 vehicles with the highest accident rates — not the highest number of accidents total — were EVs. Leading the way was the Kia Soul EV, while the Chevrolet Bolt EUV finished third, the Volkswagen ID.4 came in fifth, and Chevy's Bolt EV came out in the eighth position. (The Bolt EUV is the inexpensive and spacious crossover version of the Bolt EV.) It's a guess, but perhaps people were still getting used to the instant torque and quick acceleration of electric vehicles? Anyway, filling out the list were the MazdaSpeed3 (No. 2), Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (No. 4), Jeep Wrangler YJ (No. 6), Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid (No. 7), Ram 2500 (No. 9), and Chrysler Voyager (No. 10). Oddly, Insurify reported on the same topic in 2023, with completely different results. That year, using the percentage of drivers with a prior at-fault accident on their records, the list of "Car Models with the Most Accidents" had exactly zero of the models mentioned in 2024. The 2023 vehicles were, starting with the most accident prone, the Audi S4, Scion iA, Chevrolet Volt, Hyundai Veloster N, Toyota GR86, Subaru WRX, Subaru XV Crosstrek, Chevrolet Silverado LD, Kia Niro, and Subaru Impreza. These Cars Had The Most Fatal Accidents Of course, the word "accident" can cover a broad range of possibilities, and a minor fender-bender isn't anything like a serious crash. Ranking cars based on the number of fatalities per billion miles driven, the vehicle most likely to leave someone dead in an accident is — according to iSeeCars — the Hyundai Venue. Following the Venue are the Chevrolet Corvette, Mitsubishi Mirage, Porsche 911, and Honda CR-V Hybrid. Now, you've probably noticed one big name missing from that previous discussion: Tesla. Despite the occasional fiery Cybertruck crash, and a reputation for having some of the country's worst drivers, the brand was conspicuously absent from the Insurify data. And while ISeeCars noted that Tesla as a brand had the highest rate of fatal accidents — with Kia, Buick, Dodge, and Hyundai following — Tesla's Model Y and S were only #6 and #21 in the rankings on iSeeCars' list of vehicles. The Mitsubishi Mirage G4, Buick Encore GX, Kia Forte, and Buick Envision closed out the top 10. You can see how some of this happens, since the Corvette, 911, and Teslas are high-performance cars likely to be traveling fast, while the Mitsubishis, Forte, and Encore GX are on the smaller side. So they're all likely to lose out in a crash with a big truck or SUV. The good news? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that the number of annual auto fatalities fell by 3.8% in 2024, with the total dropping under 40,000 for the first time in four years. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
I spent my entire life running from my hometown. At 32, I moved back to save money, and I've never been happier.
I liked growing up in my small Maine hometown, but I always wanted to live somewhere else. At 32, I returned to my childhood home and worked remotely while figuring out my next chapter. I was surprised by how much I loved it — I've developed a new appreciation for the life I've lived. When I left my small Maine hometown for college at 17, I felt ecstatic. It was a good place to grow up, but I was ready to meet people who hadn't known me since I was in diapers, see new things, and move far away … permanently. So, when I decided to move back home a few months before my 33rd birthday, no one was more shocked than I was. I figured this would be a temporary phase — something I'd endure, a layover on my way to somewhere better. I certainly didn't expect to bloom in a place I'd once been so eager to leave. For most of my teens and 20s, I defined my success by how far I moved from home I went to college in Massachusetts and then spent my 20s moving around. I lived in Providence, Boston, Philadelphia, and then Boston again. Through it all, my Maine hometown was a place to visit for the holidays or crash between leases, but it was never home. When my second stint in Boston came to a natural end in my early 30s, I had the idea of moving back in with my parents and saving some money while I worked my corporate job remotely and figured out where I wanted to live next. Before I knew it, I was loading my stuff into storage and moving back to my childhood home. Growing up, the idea of moving back home and in with my parents felt like my personal nightmare and definition of failure. So, I was surprised when the shame and embarrassment I expected to feel never came. Instead, I loved spending quality time with my parents, now as adults on equal footing. After years of city life, I appreciated having a backyard and easy access to the ocean just a few miles away. I loved chatting with neighbors and seeing my childhood best friend more regularly. What I loved the most, though, was how it felt to hit successful milestones in the same place I swore I could never grow. I paid off my student loans in my living room and saw the northern lights from my backyard. I continued working remotely from the dining room table and traveled a ton. In spite of everything I had once believed, I wasn't just living — I was thriving. Returning to the place I grew up has brought up old memories and helped me appreciate the life I've lived When I come inside from clearing off cars and shoveling snow, I'm flooded with memories of kicking off my boots and racing upstairs for hot cocoa as a kid, cheeks flushed from hours spent playing in the snow. I go to the grocery store with my mom, following her around and chatting about everything and nothing, and have flashbacks to being 10 years old and doing the same. Relaxing on the deck, sun-drunk and hungry after a day of swimming, makes me feel 12 again. Pulling into the driveway after running an errand takes me back to being 16 and giddy that I could drive myself anywhere I wanted. I walk my dog past the mailbox that once delivered my college acceptance letters. Every version of me is here, and after years of running away from that, I've finally learned how beautiful it is. Returning to where I grew up has made me grateful that I spent nearly 18 years building my foundation here. I've been back home for a little over a year now, and I'm not sure if I'll stay here forever. I don't know that I'll ever get tired of exploring new places and trying out new homes. I do know one thing, though: The roots I once tried to dig up have stuck, and I'm grateful for where they are. Read the original article on Business Insider Solve the daily Crossword


CBS News
4 days ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Patriots will have conversation about signing Christian Wilkins, says Mike Vrabel
The New England Patriots are pretty well set along the defensive line, but head coach Mike Vrabel said Friday the team will kick the tires about signing recently released defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. In a bit of a surprising move, Wilkins was released by the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday. The team also voided the rest of the $35.2 million of guaranteed money he was after the two sides had engaged in a feud over the 29-year-old's recover from a foot injury last season. We'll see if Wilkins ultimately ends up in New England, but he does have a number of ties to the area. He's a Springfield native who originally attended Framingham High School before he transferred to Suffield Academy in Connecticut after his freshman season. Vrabel knows Wilkins pretty well himself, the Patriots coach revealed Friday morning. "I know Christian; I recruited him when he was up here in the area in Connecticut going to high school," Vrabel said ahead of Friday's training camp practice in Foxboro. "So I'm sure we'll have a conversation about it." Vrabel was on the Ohio State coaching staff when Wilkins was in high school, and recruited the defensive tackle before he ultimately ended up at Clemson. Wilkins won two national championships with the Tigers and was a unanimous All-American in 2018, before he was drafted 13th overall by the Miami Dolphins in the 2019 NFL Draft. Wilkins had 3.5 sacks over his first two NFL seasons, but started every game for Miami from 2021-23. He racked up 17 sacks over those three seasons, including a career-high 9.0 sacks in 2023. That big year earned him a four-year, $110 million deal from the Raiders last offseason. But the relationship soured pretty quickly, and the Raiders opted to cut ties with Wilkins on Thursday. The issue between Wilkins and the Raiders stemmed from a foot injury he suffered last season. He had two sacks in his first five games, but suffered a Jones Fracture and ended up on season-ending IR in October. The team wanted him to have surgery on the foot, but Wilkins declined, according to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. He opted to rehab in the injury instead, which led to a lot of discourse between him and the team. It ultimately led to his release Thursday. Las Vegas cut Wilkins with a "terminated vested veteran" designation, and he'll now avoid waivers and have a chance to pick his next team. He's also filed a grievance with the NFLPA over the voided guaranteed money by Las Vegas. Wilkins was on PUP before he was released, so it's unclear if he'll even be able to play in the upcoming season or what he'd be able to add to a team. Should he end up in New England, it would make Week 1 of the NFL season a little more interesting with the Patriots opening the year against the Raiders at Gillette Stadium.