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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers passed on signing undrafted free agent Will Sheppard, a wide receiver from Colorado, after he didn’t clear the team’s physical exam. Sheppard was considered a potential developmental project, but his college performance and the team’s existing receiver depth likely played a role in the decision as well.
“Colorado receiver Will Sheppard was not among the Bucs’ announced undrafted rookie signings because of a failed physical.”
Will Sheppard’s NFL hopes have been put on hold due to physical concerns. Despite a solid college season where he caught 48 passes for 621 yards and 6 touchdowns. The team’s first-round pick, Emeka Egbuka, likely would’ve added to the challenge of Sheppard making an immediate impact on the roster.
Sheppard will need to resolve the physical issues that were flagged in his exam if he wants to pursue opportunities with other teams, though several franchises have already shown interest in him since the draft.
The Buccaneers’ decision underscores the hurdles undrafted rookies face, especially those viewed as developmental projects. For Sheppard, clearing up his physical issues is crucial to securing a new chance in the NFL.
The actual injury and extent of it is not known at this time. Hopefully it’s something Sheppard can come back from. If he can there’s a lot of talent there to build into a nice NFL career. And hopefully that’s with the Buccaneers.
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Country Music Star, 40, Takes a Step Back From Music for Major Career Move
Chase Rice has amassed a huge following as a country music star. The "Eyes On You" crooner has been on tour, giving the masses what they want with his twangy voice in stadiums and arenas across the country for the better part of a decade. But that is all soon coming to an end. Rice, 40, announced on his Instagram Story that for the first time in 13 years, he will take next year off from touring. His next occupation? An oldie but a goodie. What's Next for Chase Rice "Taking next year off from touring for the first time in 13 years. Gonna go back and apply and train for my 6th year in college football," the country star posted on his Instagram Story. "I got this. [North] Carolina’s my first choice. @thereallanekiffin, you’re a factor into this. I hereby open my recruitment." That's right, Rice teased he's turning back the clock and throwing on the football pads. Rice may be joshing around. But then again, he's a legitimate football standout. Rice Played at UNC The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder was born in Florida but raised in Asheville, North Carolina. He was a football star at Reynolds High School and one of the top 25 players in the state, per the Charlotte Observer. He took his talents to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Yes, the same school where Bill Belichick is now the head football coach. As a redshirt freshman, Rice played in all 11 games on special teams in 2005. He was also a backup linebacker, making four tackles that year. As a sophomore the following year, Rice played in all 12 games and started three games. Rice earned the starting outside linebacker role as a junior the following year, in what turned out to be a short-lived season following a devastating ankle injury in the season opener against James Madison. In his senior year, Rice, whose brother played football at Duke, played in all 13 games but primarily was used in nickel packages and on special teams. Rice has lived quite the life. He was the runner-up on Survivor: Nicaragua and a NASCAR pit-crew member before finding stardom as a country music star.
Jerry Jones claims Jets turned down absurd trade offer involving Micah Parsons, Quinnen Williams
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently revealed that he offered Micah Parsons plus a first-round pick to the New York Jets in exchange for Quinnen Williams during training camp. Jerry Jones says Jets turned out incredible trade offer for Quinnen Williams “I wanted a one and Parsons for Williams,” Jones said on 103.5 The Fan. That seems like an absurd offer, but Jones left little up to interpretation. “A one and Parsons for Williams,” he repeated. Later, he added that the deal did not go through because the Jets “did not have the cap room to pay [Parsons].” Jones also said something similar to WFAA’s Ed Werder: “We tried at training camp with the Jets to basically make an exchange that was ready to go, heads up, with Quinnen and Micah and a one, and we didn’t get it done.” Parsons, of course, was instead sent to the Packers for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks. The Cowboys later acquired Williams before the trade deadline for a package including a 2027 first-rounder, a 2026 second-rounder and defensive tackle Mazi Smith. Jones has slowly revealed more and more information about the Parsons trade since it was completed. During a September radio appearances on ESPN New York, Jones said that called the Jets regarding Williams when he was shopping Parsons before the season. The Jets were not interested, he claimed, because they “didn’t have the resources to entertain [the] conversation,” similar to his pronouncement on 103.5. If true, Jets made a big mistake If Jones’ latest revelation is true, that means two things. First, he was willing to sacrifice a massive amount of value to move Parsons and acquire Williams. Second, the Jets made a huge mistake in not accepting the deal. Although Williams is an excellent defensive tackle, Parsons is undoubtedly a better and more valuable player, even at a higher price point. This year, Williams has 2.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss this season; per Pro Football Focus, he ranks fifth among interior defenders with 40 pressures but 38th with a 12.1% pass-rush win rate. Parsons, meanwhile, has 12.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss, plus 67 pressures and a 24.3% pass-rush win rate, both top-three marks among NFL edge-rushers. In his career, he has averaged 0.89 sacks and one tackle for loss per game; Williams’ per-game numbers are 0.41 sacks and 0.60 tackles for loss. Those numbers may not tell the complete story of either player, but it seems like the Jets should have taken Jones’ offer. Sure, they would have had to pony up for Parsons’ mega-extension, but they were already prepared to move on from Williams. Adding an extra first-round pick on top would also give the Jets an opportunity to add another starter — if not a star — on a rookie contract. That would help to offset the financial cost of acquiring Parsons. How realistic is Jerry Jones' claim? But Jones’ words should also be taken with a grain of salt. He has spent a lot of time trying to retroactively justify trading away Parsons, especially after using some of the resulting draft capital to acquire Williams. Claiming that the Jets were not interested in Parsons and a first-rounder for Williams serves to downplay the former’s value and boost the latter’s. The idea that the Jets could not afford to pay Parsons does not hold water, either. After his extension, the All-Pro edge-rusher’s cap hit in 2025 is just $9.97M. New York certainly could have designed a similar contract structure and absorbed Perhaps the Jets didn't want to commit so much money to Parsons as they were clearly contemplating a rebuild. Parsons would still be a cornerstone for that effort, but he may not have wanted to weather any losing seasons in the hopes of a future turnaround. But again, adding another first-round pick would have accelerated that process, and a core of Parsons, cornerback Sauce Gardner and wide receiver Garrett Wilson seems like a solid foundation for the Jets to build from. That is an expensive trio, but having elite players at three of the sport’s most important positions is a good problem to have. Instead, the Jets declined the Cowboys’ initial offer for Williams before moving him and Gardner at the deadline as part of what appears to be a full-on franchise reset.
Details emerge on Francisco Lindor's alleged incident with Mets teammate
Mr. Smile apparently wasn’t smiling too much about one of his teammates last season. New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor had a "heated confrontation" with teammate Jeff McNeil last June, Mike Puma of the New York Post reported on Friday. Puma writes that Lindor began verbally attacking McNeil on June 20 over a defensive lapse that McNeil had during that day’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies. The confrontation, which was only verbal and never got physical, came in the midst of a seven-game losing streak by the Mets at the time. Puma also reports that the flashy Lindor clashed personalities during the year with the business-like Juan Soto during the season as well. Interestingly enough, the five-time All-Star Lindor also had a confrontation with McNeil in the dugout during a game in the 2021 MLB season. That confrontation did turn physical, and Lindor later offered an extremely unconvincing excuse for the incident. Meanwhile, the incident last June underscored the Mets’ struggles to get on the same page with one another during the 2025 campaign. Despite having a mammoth $342 million payroll, the Mets completely collapsed in the final weeks of the season and missed the playoffs altogether. Now there are rumors that the Mets could make some big changes this offseason, including a potential trade of McNeil. After another apparent confrontation between the veteran utilityman and the four-time Silver Slugger Award winner Lindor, it is clear that something is not quite working right now in that clubhouse.
Alex Bregman sends message to Cody Bellinger after Yankees report
Both the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees enter 2026 with well-positioned rosters capable of making a run, but each faces the challenge of addressing two high-profile free agents. Outfielder Cody Bellinger and infielder Alex Bregman are both in need of new deals or replacements. Both are represented by agent Scott Boras as they look to secure contracts this offseason. Each is coming off a strong year. Bellinger posted a .272 batting average, a .334 on-base percentage, an .813 OPS, 29 home runs and 98 RBI across 152 games while providing elite defense in the outfield for the Yankees. Bregman, in his 2025 season with Boston, recorded a .273 batting average, .360 on-base percentage, .821 OPS, 18 home runs and 62 RBIs in 114 games. Both Bellinger and Bregman joined their respective teams in 2025, and with free agency now underway, last season could prove to be their only year in pinstripes or with the Red Sox. As Bregman and Bellinger enter the offseason, their focus has shifted toward staying healthy and sharpening their skills for 2026. Neither player is on an active roster, yet both have made it clear they are committed to maintaining peak condition while navigating free agency. In recent weeks, the two stars have been spotted training in Arizona, appearing to work out together or at least at the same facility. Their offseason program has been highlighted by sessions with Nemesis Baseball, a sports performance community that promotes itself on Instagram as “Sports Performance community for those who seek to reach their full potential / Built By Athletes For Athletes.” Bregman and Bellinger recently shared photos of their workouts, giving fans a glimpse into the intensity of their preparation. The posts quickly drew attention, not only for the training itself but also for the interaction between the two free agents. Bregman responded to Bellinger’s post with a simple message, “Dialed .” This interaction comes after a report from Mark Feinsand of MLB.com predicting Bellinger's next team. According to Feinsand, "New York is the clear favorite to sign Bellinger." While the Yankees appear positioned to retain their star outfielder, Bregman’s future is less certain. The Red Sox have expressed interest in bringing him back, but they have not yet been identified as clear front-runners, leaving open the possibility that Boston could lose its veteran infielder after just one season. Over the course of their careers, both players have built impressive track records that place them among the most decorated stars of their era. Bregman has been named to three All-Star teams, won two World Series titles with the Houston Astros, collected a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger and earned All-Star Game MVP honors. Bellinger’s accolades include National League MVP, Rookie of the Year, two All-Star selections, a Gold Glove, two Silver Sluggers and a World Series championship with the Dodgers in 2020. His best years came in Los Angeles, while Bregman’s peak was with the Astros. Both were key figures in the 2017 sign-stealing scandal, yet that chapter appears behind them, as they now train together and show genuine camaraderie.
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