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The Baltimore Ravens recorded a league-high 60 sacks last year, but to maintain that pass-rush this season, they'll need some players to step up.
Chief among those players is third-year edge rusher David Ojabo, who could be facing a make-or-break season this fall.
A 2022 second-round pick out of Michigan, Ojabo has played just five games through his first two seasons. A torn Achilles at his pro day caused him to miss most of his rookie season, then another severe leg injury early this season limited him to just three games, and he only played four snaps in the third one.
To be clear, Ojabo's injuries aren't his fault and it's an unfortunate part of the game. However, those injuries still have a major impact on his performance and perception, whether it's fair or not.
When healthy, Ojabo has shown himself to be a very productive pass rusher. The Nigerian-born linebacker racked up 11 sacks in his lone season as a starter at Michigan, and he boasts outstanding athleticism for someone who stands at 6-4 and over 250 pounds. It's telling that the Ravens took him in the middle of the second round even after his Achilles injury.
That's the catch though, "when healthy." The saying goes that the best ability is availability, and Ojabo simply hasn't been available enough to make a true impact.
Of course, the Ravens would love for Ojabo to stay healthy and regain the form he had at Michigan, but his play after two major injuries remains a question mark. If he gets hurt again, or just simply fails to make an impact, it's not a stretch to think the Ravens could cut their losses and move on.
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Packers starter hits back at Matt LaFleur, calls for 'bus fine'
Matt LaFleur is earning the ire of several of his Green Bay Packers players early in training camp. On Tuesday, LaFleur punished offensive tackle Rasheed Walker for his altercation with defensive end Kingsley Enagbare. However, the most interesting interaction of the day came between LaFleur and tight end Tucker Kraft. Per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, LaFleur called out Kraft for two questionable fumbles during the first week of practice. Both "fumbles" came after the play was over or when the ball fell out of bounds. "Certainly, we all know what kind of player Tucker Kraft is and can be," LaFleur said. "He can’t allow Evan Williams to reach around and punch a ball out, so it is challenging everybody and hopefully that makes us that much better.” The third-year tight end took issue with LaFleur calling him out in front of the media and blamed the coaching staff for implementing practice rules that made it easy for offensive players to fumble. "I’d say a lot of the times — there’s certain rules you play with in practice, like just letting the defense punch repeatedly," Kraft said. "You’re not allowed to stiff-arm. I guess all I have are excuses. Yes, I am working on not fumbling the ball in practice." Schneidman said Kraft answered the question with a tone of sarcasm. Kraft was frustrated that he couldn't defend the ball by stiff-arming a defender trying to poke the ball from his undefended arm. Kraft acknowledged that during practice, he has to "play by the rules" LaFleur makes and is trying to work on having a "yes sir, no sir" attitude with his head coach. He then made a vague reference about a "bus fine" and accused LaFleur of throwing him under the bus in front of the media. Schneidman believes the tight end might actually be calling for Green Bay to fine LaFleur after his discouraging quote Tuesday morning. "So yes, the Packers’ third-year tight end might be calling for his head coach to be fined — not by the league, of course, but by the team — for what he perceived as throwing him under the bus," Schneidman wrote. "Is Kraft being serious about fining LaFleur? "Probably not. Is he peeved LaFleur called him out? It sure seems like it." LaFleur might do better to have a conversation with Kraft before dragging his name into news conferences with reporters. It's clear Tucker doesn't see eye-to-eye with LaFleur about fumbles. This is a good reminder to those getting overly excited or nervous reading practice reports that what happens at practice should be taken with a grain of salt. Most likely, Tucker is going to be fine.
Yankees’ Max Fried Makes Feelings Clear Before Trade Deadline
The New York Yankees acquired several talented veterans after superstar outfielder Juan Soto walked in free agency this past offseason, with southpaw pitcher Max Fried (12-4, 2.62 ERA) chief among them. They signed the latter player to an eight-year, $218 million contract, and he's given them their money's worth thus far. Fried leads New York's pitching staff in wins and ERA. The 31-year-old is also tied for third in baseball in wins, is 11th in ERA, and is 11th with a 1.03 WHIP. Still, the Yankees could use pitching help, given that ace Gerrit Cole is out for the year after getting Tommy John surgery, and 2024 AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil will make his first start of the season on Sunday. Fried was asked after Tuesday's bout with the Tampa Bay Rays if he's anxious to see what New York does ahead of Thursday's Trade Deadline, via SNY. "You've just got to take care of business every day," he said. "That's not something that we can control...We have baseball games to win." The Yankees did just that on Tuesday, beating the Rays 7-5 in a comeback effort. Fried earned his 12th win after allowing four runs (two earned) in 6.2 innings to go with nine strikeouts and two walks. The veteran also tossed a career-high 111 pitches. Over the last few days, the Yankees acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies and fellow third baseman Amed Rosario from the Washington Nationals. They also traded pitcher Carlos Carrasco to the Atlanta Braves for a player to be named later or cash. New York will face Tampa Bay again on Wednesday and Thursday.
Oilers to Acquire a Top-Tier Goalie. An Official Trade Offer Is on the Table in a Blockbuster Deal
Jonathan Kuminga could be a qualifying offer candidate after rejecting Warriors deal
The NBA offseason has been in full swing for nearly a month now, but Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors don't appear any closer to reaching an agreement on a new contract. Veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein shared that the Dubs' best offer to the restricted free agent's camp maxed out around two years, $40M. While this proposed extension would mark a substantial pay increase from Kuminga's rookie deal, the fourth-year forward and his camp are unmoved by the offer. Kuminga showed flashes of star potential over his last two seasons with Golden State, but he has proven to be a difficult talent to consistently utilize. When Draymond Green was healthy, Kuminga was nearly unplayable due to his inconsistent offensive contributions. As a result, he was limited to just 47 games and 10 starts in 2024-25, both career lows. It appears that the Warriors understand the untapped potential of Kuminga, but aren't willing to mortgage their future to watch his unfold. With three aging All-Stars in Jimmy Butler, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, Golden State's top priority is winning while they're still around. Kuminga simply doesn't fit the archetype or timeline of what the Warriors need right now. Stein also reported that Kuminga's camp is still adamantly searching for sign-and-trade possibilities, but the Warriors have maintained a steep asking price of a future first-round pick. Considering a team has yet to give Kuminga a competitive offer sheet, though, it seems unlikely that a team will agree to Golden State's demands. At this point, it seems to be in Kuminga's best interest to ride out one last season with the Warriors via a qualifying offer. This way, the multi-faceted forward can hand-pick his next destination as a restricted free agent in the offseason. Kuminga averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists last year, proving he can provide a bit of everything in limited minutes, so there are undoubtedly suitors that will be curious to see Kuminga in a larger role. As a former lottery pick who has taken advantage of his inconsistent opportunities, he shouldn't have an issue latching on with a team that gives him the starting role he's searching for. But he may have to endure one last season under Steve Kerr's tight leash to get there.
Indiana Fever Flex Kelsey Mitchell After She Torched Chicago Sky in Caitlin Clark's Absence
On Sunday, the Indiana Fever took on the Chicago Sky at United Center. Normally, this matchup would mean the latest installment in the budding rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. However, Clark was still unable to play due to a strained groin, and Reese didn't suit up either because of a back injury. The Fever still managed to win, 93-78, and they improved their record to 14-12 after their fifth win in their last seven games. Guard Kelsey Mitchell was the big reason that they were able to push past the Sky so easily, as she had arguably her best performance of this season. Mitchell exploded once again with Clark out of action Mitchell recently got her third consecutive WNBA All-Star Game nod earlier this month. On Sunday, she validated that berth with 35 points on 12-of-19 shooting from the field and 7-of-10 from 3-point range, six assists and three steals in Indiana's victory. With Clark in and out of the lineup, Mitchell has stepped up her offensive game over the last few weeks, and the Fever reminded people with a post on X that she is the league's leading scorer in July. Overall, she's averaging 20.2 points a game on the season, which is currently third in the WNBA, and over her last 13 games, she has put up an average of 23.1 points a game. Mitchell's exploits have come at an opportune time This is the time of the season during which WNBA teams need to start watching the standings and concern themselves with playoff seeding. With Mitchell turning into a microwave lately, the Fever have the sixth-best record in the league. The race for the final playoff spots is tight, as they lead the joint eighth-placed Las Vegas Aces and Washington Mystics by just one game, but Mitchell has been keeping them afloat while their franchise player recuperates. There is no timetable for Clark's return, and she will not play on Wednesday when Indiana faces the Phoenix Mercury. Indiana will then start a four-game road trip with games versus the Dallas Wings, Seattle Storm, Los Angeles Sparks and the Mercury. If Mitchell remains hot, she could perhaps buy more time for Clark to fully heal before she returns. That would pay off for the Fever in the long run as the postseason approaches.
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