On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
The plan for Austin Simmons during University of Washington spring football practice was to get noticed, to fit in, to show he belonged.
After all, the 6-foot-5, 238-pound freshman tight end from Albany, Oregon, was a late add to the 2025 Husky recruiting class after flipping from Washington State to replace Vander Ploog, a tight end who jumped from the UW to Oregon.
Simmons probably felt he needed to show Jedd Fisch's staff it should have recruited him instead of the 4-star Ploog the first time.
Midway through spring ball, it was mission accomplished.
After just six practices, tight-ends coach Jordan Paopao rubber-stamped the early enrollee as someone who came ready to play.
"The guy who's really jumped out has been Austin Simmons," Paopao said. "How fast he's been able to take this offense. How fast he's been able to grow -- he's starting to get a lot more confidence. How we see more physicality. You see a lot more speed at the line of scrimmage. I've been really, really happy with his progress."
This is one in a series of articles -- going from 0 to 99 on the Husky roster -- examining what each scholarship player and leading walk-on did this past spring and what to expect from them going forward.
Simmons first showed himself in scrimmage play at the end of practice 5 when he caught a Dash Beierly pass for 11 yards near the left sideline, where former Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren was standing, waiting to speak to the Huskies.
In practice No. 10, Simmons showed really good speed when he got downfield to pull in a 15-yard pass from Kai Horton.
In the 12th practice, he and Beierly hooked up for a 5-yard completion.
For the Spring Game, Simmons pulled in a Demond Williams Jr. pass for the first time in a scrimmage situation, covering 6 yards in the first half, and then caught a short one, a 2-yarder from Beierly, in the second half.
Running routes and catching passes were not all that he did. For the final three spring practices, he changed his appearance.
After arriving in Montlake with a full head of hair, with long locks reaching his shoulders, Simmons cut it all off. He finished up in a crewcut.
That was noticeable.
AUSTIN SIMMONS FILE
What he's done: For West Albany High School, he caught 80 passes for 1,470 and 15 touchdowns over two seasons. His physicality stems from him playing linebacker, as well.
Starter or not: Simmons certainly appears on his way to starting someday. However, the position is stacked with veterans Decker DeGraaf, Quentin Moore and Kade Eldridge in the front of the line for playing time. He's off to a good start.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
More must-reads:
- Oregon suspends former five-star WR recruit indefinitely
- Notre Dame believed to be trending toward surprise choice at quarterback
- The '2023 NFL AP second-team All-Pro' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
Main reason Nebraska won't make College Football Playoff revealed
Nebraska is a program that is trending up heading into the 2025 season. If anything, look at the trends for head coach Matt Rhule. In Year 3 at Temple, he had the Owls as a 10-win program and considered one of the top teams in the AAC. At Baylor, the Bears went 11-3 in his third season in Waco, and that included an 8-1 record against Big 12 opponents. Rhule is a program-builder, and especially with star quarterback Dylan Raiola entering his second year in Lincoln, the Cornhuskers will be one of the more interesting teams in the country to watch. But can they compete for the College Football Playoff this season? Interestingly enough, Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt recently revealed that he thinks Nebraska is close to being a "playoff party crasher." There is one reason he thinks the Huskers will fall short, though, and that's the defensive side of the football. First, losing former defensive coordinator Tony White to the same position at Florida State is going to be tough. "Well, I didn’t pick them because they lost Tony White, their defensive coordinator. He’s very good. So they promoted from within with John Butler," Klatt said (h/t On3). Klatt doesn't seem to think hiring from within was the right move to elevate Nebraska in 2025. He also seems worried about losses on the defensive line. Nash Hutmacher, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound defensive lineman, is now in the NFL, as is 6-foot-5, 288-pound defensive tackle Ty Robinson. Those are two huge (literally) players that Nebraska may have a hard time replacing. "That was the heart and soul of their defense, so I question whether their defense will be as strong this year as it was a year ago," Klatt said. Even in a 12-team CFP, a team with a massive weak link probably won't cut it. It will be interesting to see if the defense really does hold back Nebraska in 2025, or if Klatt is simply overthinking it. Again, Rhule's track record is hard to ignore.
Five best NFL offseason value signings on offense: Bills get great deal with RB extension
Few know how to spend money like an NFL front office. This offseason, teams handed out over $4 billion in extensions alone, not to mention the several other billions spent in free agency. But which were the shrewdest investments? Below, we examine the best value signings at five positions on offense: quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end and offensive line. Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith Contract: Two years, $75 million ($65.5M guaranteed) Shortly after acquiring Smith in a trade from the Seattle Seahawks, the Raiders extended the 2022 Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year to a contract that raises the Raiders' floor while maintaining flexibility. Smith has a manageable $26.5M cap hit in 2026, when Over The Cap projects Las Vegas to have the third-most cap space ($78.7M) based on an estimated 5.8 percent cap increase. Since 2022, Smith has the third-highest completion percentage (68.5 percent) among 32 quarterbacks with at least 20 starts during that span. He's also tied with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes for the second-most fourth-quarter comebacks (10) and trails only Mahomes in game-winning drives. Buffalo Bills running back James Cook Contract: Four years, $48M ($30M guaranteed) Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams pierced Cook's bubble when he signed a three-year, $33M extension on Aug. 5. The Bills running back sought $15M per year, making his $12M in annual average value (AAV) a huge win for Buffalo. Over Cook's first three seasons, he's averaged 4.9 yards per carry. In 2024, he led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns. With just 533 career tackles, Cook doesn't have the wear-and-tear of other backs who've made splashes early in their careers, raising hopes that he can withstand the workload that comes with being Buffalo's featured back. Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins Contract: Four years, $115M ($40.9M guaranteed) The Bengals retained Higgins at a remarkable price, keeping him in Cincinnati at less than $30M per year, the going rate for the league's top wideouts. Per Spotrac, while Higgins is No. 10 in AAV among wide receivers, he ranks just outside the top 20 in guaranteed money. Last season, Higgins averaged 75.9 receiving yards per game, his most since 2021, and scored a career-high 10 touchdowns despite missing five games due to injury. Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride Contract: Four years, $76M ($43M guaranteed) The 2024 first-team All-Pro ranks No. 1 among tight ends in guaranteed salary. However, if he continues producing numbers more akin to WR1s — last season, he had 111 receptions, 1,146 receiving yards and two touchdowns — his contract will be one of the league's better bargains. Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley Contract: Three years, $60M ($44M guaranteed) Stanley's journey back from a devastating 2020 lower leg injury culminated in the 2019 first-team All-Pro being named a Pro Bowler for the second time in his first nine seasons last year. The No. 6 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft was rewarded with a contract that will keep him in Baltimore through his age-33 season. In terms of average annual value, his extension ranks below other left tackles who signed contracts this offseason, and not just younger players such as Rashawn Slater (Los Angeles Chargers), who was recently lost for the season, and Bernhard Raimann (Indianapolis Colts). Atlanta Falcons tackle Jake Matthews, 33, is averaging $22.5M on his current deal, while Las Vegas Raiders tackle Kolton Miller, 29, is set to earn $22M per year through 2028.
Cubs catcher lost to horrific-looking injury on same day he returns from IL
After working to return to the Chicago Cubs' lineup following an oblique injury, Miguel Amaya suffered a gruesome-looking injury in his first game back with the Cubs on Wednesday night. Running to first base, Amaya just beat out an infield single on a slow dribbler to shortstop when his left foot landed forcefully on the base, causing his leg to buckle and sending Amaya flying down the first base line. Following the injury, Amaya was carted off the field in Toronto with a towel over his face. The emotions shown by Amaya as he was carted off indicated he knew already he would miss more time in a season that has been marred by injuries. After the game, Cubs manager Craig Counsell confirmed Amaya would be going back on the injured list with what was diagnosed as a left ankle sprain. X-rays, however, were negative. The 26-year-old Amaya had just told reporters after being activated from the 60-day injured list that he was thankful he was healthy. Just three at-bats later, Amaya was once again injured. Amaya's three at-bats against the Blue Jays on Wednesday represented his first game action since May 24, when he recorded just two at-bats against the Cincinnati Reds before leaving the game with an oblique injury. In just 96 at-bats this season, Amaya is slashing .281/.314/.500 with four home runs and 25 RBI. Amaya's injury is another blow for the Cubs, who have seen their lead in the National League Central evaporate as the Milwaukee Brewers have now won 12 consecutive games and are 20-4 since the All-Star break. As has been the case in Amaya's absence, Carson Kelly and Reese McGuire will continue to be the dominant presences behind the plate for the Cubs. Joining with Amaya, the duo has helped the Cubs record a 2.8 Wins Above Average (WAA) at catcher, the highest mark of any MLB team. After Amaya's injury, the Cubs would go on to post a 4-1 win over the Blue Jays.
'I Hope He Doesn’t Become Ben Simmons': Julian Edelman Alerts Rob Gronkowski About JJ McCarthy
For Minnesota Vikings fans, the wait to see JJ McCarthy in live action must have felt like an eternity. After missing his entire rookie year with a meniscus injury, the 2024 10th overall pick finally took the field for the Vikings in Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Houston Texans. And the return was as emotional as it was promising. JJ McCarthy, who admitted he had “a little tear drop” during the national anthem, led a composed 13-play opening drive that ended with points on the board. He went 4-of-7 for 30 yards and added an 8-yard rush. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell praised the 22-year-old for his “composure and poise,” and his ability to run the show as the staff had hoped. But while JJ McCarthy’s debut was brief, the expectations for him were not. With Sam Darnold out of the picture and O’Connell committing fully to the Michigan alum as QB1, the pressure to deliver is immense. It’s one thing to look steady in August and another to win games when the NFC North and playoff hopes are on the line. McCarthy’s much-anticipated debut took center stage on the latest episode of Dudes on Dudes. Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman pulled out their ‘crystal ball’ to predict whether the Vikings would win more than 8 games this season. Gronk was full of optimism by praising O’Connell’s leadership and the roster’s talent. Edelman, however, hesitated. “It’s one of those ones where… they have a rookie quarterback that we have no clue how he’s going to do,” Edelman said, noting that McCarthy didn’t throw much in college and will start the season without Jordan Addison, who’s suspended for the first three games. “We’re just going to assume that the kid’s going to come in and win a lot of games like that? This is really his rookie year,” he added. Gronkowski, however, called it a “rookie plus” year, likening JJ McCarthy’s situation to NBA star Ben Simmons, who sat out his first year before becoming Rookie of the Year. That’s when the former Patriots WR jumped in with a warning: “But I hope he doesn’t become Ben Simmons.” Why did Edelman show caution? While Simmons entered the league with high expectations and early accolades, his career trajectory stalled, marred by injuries and lost confidence, and he didn’t produce as much as he should have. In Julian’s view, the Vikings can’t afford their franchise QB’s development to follow a similar arc. For now, JJ McCarthy has shown early signs of the maturity and skill set Minnesota hoped for when they drafted him. But as Edelman’s comments underline, one promising preseason drive is only the beginning; sustaining that composure over a full NFL campaign will be the real test. Safe to say, a lot of eyes will be on the young QB this year!
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
