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USA Today
9 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
CB Jalen Ramsey named top trade target for Arizona Cardinals
CB Jalen Ramsey named top trade target for Arizona Cardinals Pro Football Network believes the Cardinals should trade for Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey. In the dead of the offseason, proposing trades is always content that we can consider. Several players are considered on the trading block like Cincinnati Bengals pass rusher Trey Hendrickson and Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Pro Football Network proposed a trade candidate for each team to acquire. For the Arizona Cardinals, that is Ramsey. The Cardinals' offense was elite last season, but to truly contend for the playoffs, they need a better defense. Trading for a proven veteran like Jalen Ramsey could lift the entire group. Now in his 30s, Ramsey has shown some signs of slowing down, but he's still among the game's top corners. Teams targeted him 71 times in 2024, and he allowed a 62% completion rate and an 83.2 passer rating. It's unclear if the Miami Dolphins will actually deal him, but the two sides mutually agreed to explore trade options earlier this offseason. Miami would save $9.9 million against the cap if they move him after June 1. The Cardinals' passing metrics ay they need help in the secondary. They "finishing 27th in PFSN's Defense+ metric" and "also posted the worst pass defense success rate in the NFL at 50.2%." But would acquiring Ramsey make sense when the Cardinals are bullish on their young group of cornerbacks? Sean Murphy-Bunting's season-ending offseason knee injury was almost a blessing in disguise because now it allows 2024 second-round Max Melton and current second-round pick Will Johnson to play. Is Ramsey currently better than either of them? Surely, but what will Miami want in return? Acquiring Ramsey is more for a team who needs a final piece to make them more of a playoff contender. The Cardinals will compete to make the postseason, which means Ramsey might help, but will he fit long-term? The Cardinals are looking for something now and in the future. The Cardinals won't deal for Ramsey, but he would make the secondary really fun to watch. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Free agent WR Keenan Allen connected to Arizona Cardinals again
Free agent WR Keenan Allen connected to Arizona Cardinals again Media outlets love to connect the Cardinals to veteran WR Keenan Allen, who is still a free agent. With all the moves the Arizona Cardinals made in the offseason, one position seemed to go neglected — wide receiver. They re-signed Greg Dortch and Zay Jones, and they added Simi Fehoko, as well as bringing Quez Watkins well before free agency began. It would seem that if they intended on adding another receiver, they would have. But media outlets keep connecting veteran receivers to the Cardinals. Pro Football Network named receiver Keenan Allen as the one free agent the Cardinals need to add. On the surface, it makes sense. He was productive last season, catching 70 passes for 744 yards and seven touchdowns. But at 33 years old, he doesn't bring a downfield element necessarily. In the passing game, he would be used like Trey McBride, and in McBride they already have a player who can catch over 100 passes. Using Allen like that doesn't enhance the team's offense. The Cardinals are counting on more production from Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, Dortch and Jones. Would Allen be content being the third or fourth receiver on the team? Is what he has to offer better than Wilson. Allen is a talented receiver, but would he improve the offense? As of right now, the Cardinals have not thought so. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
USA Today
19-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Ravens schedule 2025: Baltimore makes a list of teams deserving of more prime-time games
Ravens schedule 2025: Baltimore makes a list of teams deserving of more prime-time games Baltimore will play four games in prime time this season, and Pro Football Network added the Ravens to the list of teams deserving of more night games The NFL schedule was released last Wednesday night, and the Ravens are scheduled for four prime-time games, including a rare "Monday Night Football" game in Baltimore against the Detroit Lions in Week 3. Since John Harbaugh became the Ravens' coach in 2008, Baltimore has only had five home Monday Night games, tied with Houston and Jacksonville for the fewest in those 16 years. Baltimore is the Super Bowl favorite, but the NFL kept the Ravens in nine early afternoon (1:00 PM ET) and two late afternoon contests. Pro Football Network looked at four teams that deserved more primetime matchups, and Baltimore made the cut. This one's a head-scratcher. The Ravens are consistently one of the league's top teams, yet they were given fewer prime-time games than the Chicago Bears, Dolphins, and Falcons. Baltimore is No. 1 in PFSN's power rankings heading into 2025, and its offense ranked second in Offense+, trailing only the Detroit Lions. The Ravens led the league in EPA per dropback, EPA per rush, and red-zone efficiency. Lamar Jackson was dominant again in an MVP-level year, and he has Derrick Henry in the backfield. The Ravens' defense had some issues against the pass last season, but it still graded out as a top-10 unit in Defense+. With the additions of Malaki Starks and Mike Green in the draft, they should take a leap in 2025. Baltimore's final two games (at Green Bay and Pittsburgh) could be flexed into prime time, giving John Harbaugh's team six overall. Week 1: Ravens @ Bills September 7 8:20 P.M. ET NBC/Peacock Week 3: Ravens vs. Lions September 22 8:15 P.M. ET ABC/ESPN/ESPN+ Week 9: Ravens @ Dolphins October 30 8:15 P.M. ET Amazon Prime Week 13: Ravens vs. Bengals
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Could Bills Repeat RB 'Cycle' With James Cook Trade?
Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is still after a new contract with the franchise, and after a host of key starters put pen to paper on extensions, James has been left out. Given the Bills' salary cap situation (just $5 million available per Over The Cap), an extension doesn't look likely, and even general manager Brandon Beane stated that the focus is now on the draft. Advertisement So, where does that leave Cook? In no man's land right now. But we could get some clarification over the next week, with the NFL Draft fast approaching. Pro Football Network is mentioning Cook's name as a possible trade candidate. "Brandon Beane has traditionally leaned on the draft to restock at running back," Pro Football Network writes. "Beane drafted Devin Singletary to replace LeSean McCoy, and then drafted James Cook to replace Singletary. Now, with Cook entering the last year of his rookie contract, the Bills could be poised to repeat that cycle again." Buffalo Bills running back James Cook© Denny Medley-Imagn Images Already with Ray Davis and Ty Johnson as the "next guys" and a deep running back class, the Bills could easily move on from Cook and get his replacement next week. Advertisement Exactly what Buffalo would get in return is unknown, as the team James goes to would have to part ways with draft capital and then pay him a new contract at roughly $15 million APY. How many teams are doing that? Maybe a select few who have a desperate need for a starting Pro Bowl running back. If the Bills were to move on, this feels like the time to do it. They have two solid options in-house already, and the draft has a host of starting-caliber backs. A move seems simple a trade partner can be found. Related: Bills Trade For T.J. Watt Rumor Includes 2 Massive Details Related: Bills James Cook Trade Rumor Gets Response From Dallas
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Biggest winners and losers in NFL schedule reveal
Analysis from Pro Football Networkhttp:// The 2025-26 NFL Schedule has been released and it's a thing of beauty. As the expression goes, the NFL doesn't miss, and this year's schedule is no different (unless you're in Los Angeles). Advertisement As the dust settles and the social media teams battle it out for who did it best, who won the schedule release in May? And who has some work to do this season?NFL's Biggest Winners from the Schedule Release So here's how we got to this point. The 2025-26 schedule was released and we've input each game into our system and we've calculated some things. One of the things we looked at was travel miles, obviously, for all 32 teams. We also looked at marquee moments, pivotal games, and rivalry games in favorable locations. Then we looked at the holidays and when divisional games were booked. From there, we looked at the favorable early stretches, the tough late-season windows, and where each team's bye week landed. Advertisement All of this to say, trust me, this is well thought out when it comes to who won the NFL's schedule release for the 2025-26 season. Let's get to the Bills The Bills have the second-least travel miles this season, on the road for just 10,546 miles this year. Save for their little travel, according to multiple metrics, the Bills' strength of schedule is also the easiest. They open with arguably their toughest game of the season with a home game against the Baltimore Ravens. They then travel to the Jets before a three-game homestand. Buffalo plays four of their first five at home and play just two away games in the first seven weeks. They also knock out half of their divisional games within the first five weeks and don't play the Jets again until the regular-season finale and the final game at Highmark Stadium against their hated rivals. It's only fitting that their Week 18 matchup is against what will likely be an overmatched New York team by early January. Advertisement Making matters even better for the Bills is the fact that their hardest three opponents — Baltimore, Kansas City, and Philadelphia — all come at home and are all spaced out by at least seven weeks. It's a favorable matchup that should put the Bills staring down the barrel of a potential 14-3 or 15-2 record if all goes to Commanders The Commanders have a unique schedule. They open up with three away games in their first five weeks and five games away from home in the first eight contests. However, they're repaid with the fact that the only time they leave the DMV area in the entire month of November is for a trip to Spain to play the Dolphins. If they can escape a tough opening season stretch of travel, their standalone contests will put them in the forefront of every NFL fan's eyes. Washington plays:Thursday Night Week 2 (@ Green Bay)Monday Night Week 6 (vs. Chicago)Monday Night Week 8 (@ Kansas City)Sunday Night Week 9 (vs. Seattle)International Game Week 11 (vs. Miami)Sunday Night Week 13 (vs. Denver)Saturday Trio Week 16 (vs. Philadelphia) Advertisement The Jayden Daniels Effect is real and this team got a favorable slate of marquee matchups in favorable sites. Sure, they travel to Minnesota, New York, and Philadelphia down the stretch, but odds are, the most meaningful game in the month of December will be their home game against the Eagles in Week 16. It'll all be about getting through their early-season slate as the middle to end of their season sets up nicely for a lot of eyes to watch a lot of Washington Bay Packers Yes, the Packers play a tough schedule this year. But that doesn't mean it can't be favorable for them. With the opponents they have to face, it could have been much worse in Green Bay this season. For starters, the Packers only travel 12,929 miles, ranking as the seventh-fewest miles. It also helps that, save for their divisional road games that are unavoidable, their road trips are against teams that shouldn't present too much of a problem for them. Early-season trips to Cleveland, Dallas, and Arizona could yield a 3-0 record. Advertisement Also, a season-opening homestand against two of their toughest opponents makes for some must-see TV and what should be heavily trafficked games in Green Bay against Detroit and Washington to start the year. Yet, the Packers don't play a home game for a month after their September 11th showdown with the Commanders. Week 8 will also mark what should likely be a home-away-from-home game down in Pittsburgh if the Steelers sign Aaron Rodgers. Just under 700 miles away, you better believe that Rodgers' signing with the Steelers would drive Packer Nation, literally, to the Steel City. With Philadelphia and Baltimore visiting at home, in November and December, respectively, and in primetime spots (likely), all eyes will be on Green Bay more than just a handful of games this year. And Packers' fans, isn't that how you wanted it?Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals have the least amount of travel, and as the saying goes, it's not even close. The Bengals travel just 8,753 miles on the year and open with three road games in the first four weeks and four in the first six weeks. Advertisement Getting through the road stretch will be tough — but with trips to Cleveland, Minnesota, Denver, and Green Bay early, the season lessens in difficulty down the stretch. Much to the dismay of fans, however, all eyes will be on the Bengals in Week 13 when they match up against the Ravens on Thanksgiving's night cap before playing the same Ravens' team just 17 days later in Week 15. A primetime road game against Baltimore isn't quite in the favorable section, but the good outweighs the bad on the schedule for Cincinnati. Outside of that, there are several winnable stretches for Joe Burrow and Co. With a bye week ahead of their trip to Pittsburgh and home games against the New York Jets and New England Patriots, sure to be favored their way, the Bengals could be right back in contention with the Ravens for the AFC Losers of the 2025-26 NFL Schedule ReleaseDetroit Lions It's a tough schedule for the Detroit Lions, there is no tip-toeing around that. The Lions open with a road trip to Green Bay and follow that up with their home opener against Chicago. However, the road is ridiculously stacked after that. Advertisement The Lions travel to Baltimore on Monday Night in Week 3, head back home for a game against the Browns before a back-to-back road stretch against the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs before getting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night at home. Following a bye week, the Lions play the Vikings and then have another ridiculously tough two-game road stretch against the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles. But it doesn't stop there. In December, the Lions travel to Los Angeles, Minnesota, and Chicago in three of their final four weekends. And sandwiched in between that stretch? A potential game against an Aaron Rodgers-led Pittsburgh Steelers team. If history is any indicator, that doesn't spell a lot of success for the Bay Buccaneers Advertisement Yes, Baker Mayfield has weapons and the defense got re-tooled. But with a new offensive coordinator in, you would've liked to ease into the 2025 season a bit better than the Bucs do this year. With back-to-back road games to start the season, the Bucs welcome the New York Jets and defending Super Bowl champ Eagles to close out September. They then travel across the country to Seattle before returning home and hosting the 49ers. They are then on the road to Detroit and to New Orleans before a much-needed bye week in Week 9. But it's not any easier after that. Tampa travels to Buffalo and Los Angeles in consecutive weeks in November before an easier stretch to end the year with four division games in their final five weeks. Advertisement The early season looks tough for the Bucs, but if they can pull off some Mayfield Magic once again, the back-half of the season could prove more fruitful than their first eight weeks of Falcons The Falcons have a tough one. First off, they knock out their bye week in Week 5 after home games against the Bucs and Commanders and road trips to Minnesota and Carolina. But once October hits, there's no looking back. Atlanta has to host the Bills, travel to San Francisco, host the Dolphins, travel to New England, and then travel to Berlin before returning home to play Carolina, all without a bye week or rest. Then they have back-to-back road stretches against New Orleans and New York before Seattle comes to town and then back on the road with trips to Tampa on a short week, and then to Arizona before back-to-back home games to close it out. Overall, that's back-to-back two-game road trips with no break, an international game without a bye week for rest, and two coast-to-coast trips without the luxury of a bye week for rest or even short weeks to provide some reprieve for the Falcons in 2025-26.
