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USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
5 Buccaneers on offense to watch during the 2025 training camp
As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter 2025 training camp with high expectations, the battle for key depth roles begins quietly behind the scenes. While household names dominate headlines, it's often the under-the-radar players who end up shaping the roster into something special. Here are five offensive sleepers who could make noise at camp and force their way into the conversation. Sean Tucker, Running Back Tucker entered the league in 2023 as an undrafted free agent with significant buzz following a standout career at Syracuse. Tucker could re-emerge in 2025 as a valuable change-of-pace option in new coordinator Josh Grizzard's system. His ability to contribute as a pass catcher and his natural burst give him a strong shot at cracking the rotation behind Rachaad White and Bucky Irving. Rakim Jarrett, Wide Receiver Jarrett, another 2023 UDFA, made the roster based on strong special-teams play and a physical, reliable style as a depth receiver. A former five-star recruit at Maryland, Jarrett has the pedigree and polish to contribute if given the opportunity. With wide receiver depth beyond Evans and Chris Godwin Jr still unsettled, Jarrett's sharp route running and contested-catch ability could earn him more offensive reps this summer and a spot in a now crowded wide receiver room. Jake Majors, Center Signed as an undrafted rookie in 2025 out of Texas, Majors brings a wealth of experience and leadership from his time as a multi-year starter in the Big 12. Though undersized by NFL standards, Majors is technically sound and intelligent, a combination that could win him a backup interior line job with Tampa's depth at center and guard not yet solidified, Tez Johnson, Wide Receiver One of the Bucs' final draft picks, Tez Johnson, is a small-framed receiver with elite quickness and separation ability. The Oregon product turned heads at the Senior Bowl with his stop-start agility and natural feel in the slot. His size may have pushed him down draft boards, but his traits are tailor-made for third-down work and designed motion packages. If he proves reliable in special teams and route discipline, Johnson could rise fast in Tampa's wide receiver competition. Devin Culp, Tight End Culp, a seventh-round pick out of Washington, entered the league last year with top-tier speed for a tight end (40-yard dash time of 4.47 at the combine). He saw limited snaps in 2024 but impressed coaches with his athleticism and versatility. Culp profiles as a potential mismatch piece in two-tight-end sets. With Cade Otton entrenched as TE1, the competition behind him is wide open. A strong camp could solidify Culp's place in the offense as a situational weapon.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Dolphins NFL draft rewind: Miami nabs a second Big Ten DT Jordan Phillips
After navigating up the draft board to select Arizona offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea in the second round, the Dolphins received a fifth-round pick from the Las Vegas Raiders as part of the deal. Miami used that fifth-round selection to draft Maryland defensive tackle Jordan Phillips with the No. 143 overall pick. The 6'3, 305-pound defensive lineman joined Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant as the second Dolphins defensive tackle by way of the Big Ten. Phillips began his collegiate career at Tennessee as a three-star signee in the 2022 class. After redshirting with the Vols, Phillips transferred to Maryland where he morphed into a starter. Phillips started 23 games over his final two collegiate seasons with the Terps, tallying 57 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss in the 2023 and 2024 campaigns. After not recording a collegiate sack, Phillips needs to show that he can develop into a productive pass-rusher or that he can at least be a consistent run plugger in the pros. Let's revisit the Dolphins' fifth-round choice, including reaction from Miami to the selection and the Dolphins' impression of Phillips since making the pick: Miami Dolphins DT Jordan Phillips Stats: 28 games played, 23 starts, 58 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss What the Dolphins said after drafting Jordan Phillips "With Jordan, one thing is he is a really good run stopper, run player," Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said in April after selecting Phillips. "So what he was asked to do for them, he excelled in what he could do. We had some of our coaches working the East-West game and he was there and really showed some stuff in the pass rush stuff when different stance, different techniques he was being taught down there. "So for us, we were excited watching that and I know Coach (Anthony) Weaver was the first one who came to us and Austin (Clark) were like, 'Hey, watch this from the East-West and what he was doing.' He's 20 years old, has an unbelievable love for football, so we do think there's some things we can unlock with him. At the Senior Bowl, Mike Locksley was the one who told me, he said, 'This kid will be an even better player in the pros.' He said he's so young still in what he can do, so we're excited for him." Jordan Phillips' comments on joining the Dolphins Phillips had multiple years of collegiate eligibility remaining, but the Terps star shared why he felt the time was right to jump into the NFL ranks in April after the Dolphins chose him. "Honestly, I go about my business like a grown man and I'm mature enough to do so," Phillips said. "And on the field, I'm violent, I'm aggressive. I'm able to have great production and help out my team in an effective way and all those things are what you need in order to be sustainable in the NFL in order to be a great player." Phillips is looking forward to the combination that he and Grant will form together. "Kenneth Grant, very talented, very athletic for a big guy," Phillips said. "I got a chance to see him a little bit during the Shrine Bowl. I got a chance to just be around him. I didn't see him perform at the Shrine Bowl, but he's definitely athletic and just physical at the point of attack and his game definitely does stand out to me. And I think that us together, we'll do some special things together." Dolphins' rookie minicamp update Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver spoke with reporters in May after Miami's rookie minicamp and shared some of his initial thoughts on the defensive tackles that the Dolphins selected. In addition to both Grant and Phillips, Miami also added Georgia Tech defensive tackle Zeek Biggers in the seventh round. "Thrilled about the draft process. It was a collective work of so many, just targeting the guys that we did," Weaver said. "Really happy about Jordan Phillips, guy who was kind of under the radar a little bit, but the way he plays on film and just the person that he is, it's the same thing. He's going to reach that ceiling." Phillips joins the Dolphins after earning a 71.4 overall defensive grade from Pro Football Focus last season. The hope will be that Phillips can help plug the Dolphins' defensive interior straight away.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Broncos roster: OL Quinn Meinerz (No. 77) seeking first Pro Bowl nod in 2025
Broncos Wire's 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at fifth-year offensive lineman Quinn Meinerz, No. 77. Before the Broncos: Meinerz (6-3, 320 pounds) played college football at Wisconsin-Whitewater, a Division III collegiate program. Despite playing at a small school, Meinerz caught the attention of NFL teams with his impressive film. A two-time All-WIAC guard, Meinerz stood out at the Senior Bowl ahead of the 2021 NFL draft. He also went viral after posting videos of his unique outdoor workouts on his Instagram page. Broncos tenure: Despite his small-school film, Meinerz caught the eye of the Denver Broncos, who selected him in the third round (98th overall) of the 2021 NFL draft. Fans quickly endeared themselves to Meinerz, who quickly gained the nickname "The Belly." In 2021, Meinerz played in 15 games, starting nine of them, playing both at left guard and right guard, quickly becoming an integral part of the Denver offensive line. In 2022, Meinerz played in 13 games, starting all of them. According to the Broncos, Meinerz only allowed three sacks on 479 pass-blocking snaps that season. In 2023, Meinerz started all 17 games, playing 96.7 percent of offensive snaps. In 2024, Meinerz was voted an offensive captain for the Broncos. Meinerz rewarded his teammates' faith in him, starting all 17 regular season games, as well as the Broncos' lone playoff game against the Buffalo Bills. Meinerz became the fifth Broncos offensive lineman--and first offensive lineman since guard Louis Vasquez in 2013 -- to be named first-team All-Pro by the AP, according to the team. Prior to the 2024 season beginning, Meinerz was given a four-year extension worth $80 million, which locks him with the team until 2028. Chances to make the 53-man roster: 100 percent. Meinerz is one of five starting offensive linemen returning in 2025, joining Luke Wattenberg, Garett Bolles, Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers. Meinerz was recently ranked as the eighth-best among NFL interior linemen, and he was named a first-team All-Pro in 2024. His first career Pro Bowl nod should follow in 2025. Related: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
College football writer thinks new Oklahoma Sooners GM will be a home run
The Oklahoma Sooners made a very big hire this offseason when they brought in Jim Nagy as their new general manager. Nagy previously ran the Senior Bowl, but he's got plenty of experience in NFL circles and was a huge get for OU. Oklahoma needed a new general manager and a new direction when it came to player evaluation and player acquisition. Nagy offers both, as the Sooners have altered the way they view high school recruiting, NIL and the transfer portal in the months that Nagy has been on staff. The new GM has also shifted Oklahoma's front office model, making plenty of new hires this offseason. It was a bold move for the Sooners, but one that the program and its fan base are hoping will work out. After six straight conference titles and four College Football Playoff trips from 2015 to 2020, OU has fallen behind in the four years since, as the portal and name, image, and likeness have changed the game more than Oklahoma thought they would. The Sooners haven't played for a conference championship in the last four years, went through a coaching change, and haven't gotten all that close to the CFP. Nagy has been hired to fix all of that on the player acquisition side of things where Oklahoma has slipped behind the pack. He's also going to be managing the new revenue-sharing era of college football in the near future. Brad Crawford, who covers college football for CBS Sports, believes the Sooners nailed it with the Nagy hire and that things will pan out in a positive way for Oklahoma. He made one bold prediction for each SEC team this week and believes that Nagy will be tabbed as the conference's best offseason hire. How often does someone in an off-the-field role take center stage in the SEC? The general manager position is rapidly gaining importance in college football. We're likely to see that evolution accelerate this season, thanks in part to the success already shown by Oklahoma with the arrival of Jim Nagy. He brings nearly two decades of personnel and scouting experience to Norman, drawn from the NFL and his time as executive director of the Senior Bowl. Most importantly, Nagy is coach Brent Venables' designated talent evaluator -- tasked with managing the roster and identifying the right personnel fits for what Oklahoma wants to build on both sides of the ball. - Brad Crawford, CBS Sports. Nagy's talent evaluation skills and roster management will be put to the test in Norman. It's been a rocky stretch at OU over the past few seasons, but the Sooners swung for the fences with multiple moves this offseason, one of the biggest being the Nagy hire. College football has changed so drastically in the first half of the 2020s. It's no secret that things have slipped at bit at Oklahoma. Bring in Jim Nagy is OU's big move to make sure that they can get back to the top. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @Aaron_Gelvin.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
New Orleans Saints give Tyler Shough historic $10.8M deal as rookie QB battle heats up
Photo by Derick E. Hingle/Getty Images The New Orleans Saints are making a bold move—and putting real money behind it. Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough has signed a fully guaranteed four-year, $10.795 million contract, ending weeks of negotiation and signaling the franchise's belief that the 26-year-old could be the answer under center. The deal, reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter on July 18, is more than just a payday—it's a statement. Not only is Shough the last player in the 2025 NFL Draft to land a fully guaranteed contract, but his deal includes an annual roster bonus structure no other non-first-round pick received. With training camp looming and no clear veteran leader in sight, the Saints have thrown the door wide open for a quarterback competition—and Shough might just walk through it as QB1. Tyler Shough's rise from injury setbacks to QB1 contender gives the New Orleans Saints a bold new hope under center When the New Orleans Saints selected Tyler Shough with the 40th overall pick in this year's NFL Draft, expectations were modest. But the terms of his deal say otherwise. The fully guaranteed structure, coupled with an annual roster bonus that frontloads his earnings before camp, is a rarity outside the first round. That wrinkle reportedly held up the signing—until this week. Now, with the paperwork done, the focus shifts to the field. Shough enters camp as part of a three-man battle for the starting job alongside fellow rookies Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Between them, they have zero NFL wins and only seven combined career starts. 'There won't be a holdout distraction now. It's about football,' one Saints official told WWW Sports after the deal was signed. The Saints' recent history at quarterback has been rocky. Since Drew Brees' retirement, attempts to stabilize the position with Derek Carr, Jameis Winston, and Andy Dalton have fallen short. This year's trio represents a fresh start—but also a major risk. And yet, Shough's journey suggests he's up for it. He began at Oregon, backing up Justin Herbert, before transferring to Texas Tech and then Louisville. Injuries—including a broken collarbone and fibula—derailed multiple seasons, but in 2024 he delivered his strongest campaign yet: 3,195 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and a marquee road win over Clemson. 'He's been through every possible challenge,' a Louisville assistant told WWW Sports. 'That experience—that toughness—is what makes him different.' His performance earned him College Sports Communicators Comeback Player of the Year honors and an invite to the 2025 Senior Bowl. Shough opted out of the Sun Bowl to prepare for the NFL Draft, betting on himself one last time. The Saints, it seems, are now doing the same. The New Orleans Saints are all-in on Tyler Shough to end their quarterback chaos Tyler Shough's journey to the NFL has been anything but ordinary—and neither is the contract he just signed. With $10.795 million fully guaranteed and a path to start in New Orleans, Shough stands at the center of one of the league's most intriguing QB battles. If he wins the job, this deal won't just be historic on paper—it'll mark the beginning of a new era for the Saints. Also Read: Jelly Roll calls Taylor Swift the GOAT live on ESPN — Travis Kelce seals it with the perfect response Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
