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The Washington Commanders have an obvious need for another accomplished edge rusher to improve their playoff hopes in 2025. Adam Peters has been patient up to now, but Jadeveon Clowney's shocking release could force the general manager to move a little quicker.
Clowney didn't take long to speak out about his departure from the Panthers. And his desperate plea for someone to rescue him from the proverbial scrap heap won't go unnoticed by those around the league looking for help on the edge.
Jadeveon Clowney's come and get me plea might provoke response from Commanders
The former No. 1 overall pick out of South Carolina might not have lived up to his generational hype coming out of college, but Clowney is a dependable pro and an exceptional locker room leader. He wasn't particularly thrilled with the way general manager Dan Morgan handled his release, but he's convinced there is a lot of good football left in the tank based on comments via Joe Person from The Athletic.
I’m definitely gonna play well. You can mark my word on that. I don’t care where I end up playing at, I’m gonna play extremely well. I think I played well for Carolina (last) year, considering the circumstances that was unfolded for me. I played with a bunch of guys that was hurt this past year. And I ended up playing extremely well for them. So it is what it is. I can play the game. I can play football. There are 31 other teams. I just hope another team gives me that opportunity so I can prove myself again. I feel like I can do that.Jadeveon Clowney
The Commanders are a contending team, which will intrigue Clowney immediately. It's an ambitious project heading in the right direction. The aggressive moves made by Peters this offseason are proof that Washington wants to improve, and they'll stop at nothing in pursuit of perennial contention.
What Peters must decide is whether Clowney has enough left to move the needle. One could argue he's an upgrade on anything the Commanders have right now. He could be used as an edge-setting 4-3 defensive end. He could help fill the void left by Dante Fowler Jr., who left in free agency for the Dallas Cowboys. Either way, it's better than what Washington has currently.
It would be a surprise if something didn't happen quickly. Clowney's played on a lot of teams, in a lot of systems, and had great success. He's the sort of proven performer that every team harboring postseason ambitions should be striving to acquire. Peters will consider the possibility, but it remains to be seen whether it goes any further.
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Cowboys make questionable move amid Micah Parsons stalemate
The Dallas Cowboys extended one of their stars Sunday, just not the one fans wanted them to pay. At Cowboys training camp Saturday, Dallas fans serenaded owner Jerry Jones with "Pay Micah [Parsons]" chants. The EDGE, of course, is set to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract this season. Jones must not have been listening. He gave tight end Jake Ferguson a new contract instead. Dallas and the 26-year-old pass-catcher agreed to a four-year, $52M contract extension, via NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. This move seems head-scratching. Parsons has won the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year and earned two first-team All-Pro nods since the Cowboys took him with pick No. 12 in the 2021 NFL Draft. The 26-year-old EDGE also finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Ferguson, meanwhile, is solid but not elite. In three seasons with the Cowboys, the 2022 fourth-round pick has made one Pro Bowl and has never finished with more than 761 receiving yards in a season. An extension for Parsons will devour future cap space. The Cowboys may be worried about that after giving quarterback Dak Prescott (four years, $240M) and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (four years, $136M) long-term deals in 2024. Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt signed a lucrative three-year, $123M extension on July 17, making him the league's highest-paid non-QB. Parsons could command a similar contract. If cap space is Dallas' primary concern, however, why would it extend Ferguson? He's now set to be the NFL's seventh-highest-paid TE. The Cowboys waited to extend Lamb and Prescott just before the start of the 2024 season. They may be doing the same with Parsons. The star defender has said, "Ownership is always gonna make [contract negotiations] drag out." Regardless, the Cowboys should've paid Parsons before Ferguson. That's a much bigger priority for the team.
Mets Make Mark Vientos Decision After Luis Robert Jr. Trade Report
Right-handed slugger Mark Vientos is in his fourth season with the New York Mets after making his debut in 2022. The 24-year-old emerged as a rising star for New York last year, playing 111 games and posting career highs with a .266 batting average and an .837 OPS. He also elevated his performance in the 2024 postseason, batting .327 with 18 hits, five home runs, 14 RBIs and eight runs scored in 13 games, leading the Mets to an NLCS appearance. Vientos recently recovered from a right hamstring strain that sidelined him for a few weeks in June, but since then he has really struggled to return to form and regain his production at the plate. Ahead of Sunday’s series finale against the San Francisco Giants, the Mets decided to bench Vientos (the second time in the last three games). The decision to leave him out of the lineup came after Bob Nightengale reported that the Chicago White Sox require Vientos to be involved in any trade for center fielder Luis Robert Jr. Mets general manager David Stearns recently said the Mets will be “engaged” when it comes to possibly adding a center fielder, so addressing that outfield need and Vientos losing playing time may push the organization to part ways with him. In 2025, Vientos is hitting .226 with a .638 OPS, six home runs and 27 RBIs, a steep drop-off in production after his breakout year. He will remain under team control for five more seasons after 2025 and will not hit free agency until 2030.
New suitor emerges for Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez
The Arizona Diamondbacks have plenty of suitors for third baseman Eugenio Suarez. A new team has reportedly entered the market for his services. Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the Phillies have reached out regarding Suarez. While Lauber did not provide any indication as to whether or not those talks have gained traction, the Phillies are an intriguing suitor for the Diamondbacks' third baseman. The Phillies' interest may be a recent development. Jon Heyman of the New York Post speculated on Friday that the Phillies could emerge as a suitor in the wake of third baseman Alec Bohm landing on the injured list with a fractured left rib. Suarez is in the midst of what is arguably his best season thus far. He has produced a .249/.321/.587 batting line in 421 plate appearances entering Saturday with 36 homers and a major league-leading 87 RBI. Suarez would be more than just another powerful bat in the lineup. Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and first baseman Bryce Harper are both left-handed hitters — adding Suarez would provide more balance in the batting order. He would also provide a counter against opposing managers bringing in a lefty reliever to face Schwarber and Harper. The biggest question would be how the Phillies would handle an eventual logjam on the roster. Bohm is expected to return from the IL in mid-August and would not have a clear path to regular at-bats if Suarez were acquired. Schwarber could theoretically return to left field to open up playing time at the DH spot, but his outfield defense is mediocre at best. However, as the Phillies are also looking to upgrade the outfield, where Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh have been disappointments, adding Suarez could solve several problems in one fell swoop.
Cincinnati Reds Pitch Their Way to a Sweep of Tampa Bay Rays
The Cincinnati Reds (56-50) completed the sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays (53-53) with a 2-1 win on Sunday. This win was all about the pitching for the Reds. BRADY SINGER SHOVES Brady Singer (8-8, 4.60 ERA) was ridiculously efficient on the afternoon. He pitched 7 1/3 innings and needed just 97 pitches to get there. His one and only run allowed was a solo home run off the bat of Taylor Walls. That was the final batter he faced. In his last start, Singer got rocked by the Washington Nationals and din’t even get our of the third inning. This is a very encouraging development as he looked a lot more like the April version of himself. PUT THE BALL IN PLAY When you don’t strike out, good things happen. Neither ball left the infield on both scoring plays for the Reds. Runs scored, nonetheless. Austin Hays got the Reds scoring started with a crazy bouncing ball that confounded Rays shortstop Taylor Walls. TJ Friedl kept his head down and never stopped running to score from second base. Then Gavin Lux added the second run on a soft ground ball fielded by Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda. As Matt McLain had stolen his way to third in the previous pitch, Aranda had no prayer of getting the Reds second baseman at the plate and settled to get Lux at first. TIRED BULLPEN Emilio Pagan got the high-pressure save as he pitched for the third-straight day. He struck out Yandy Diaz and got a couple of fly outs to close out the one-run sweep of a win. This is the third time in 2025 that Pagan has pitched in three consecutive games. Tony Santillan bailed out the Reds in the eighth after Singer allowed the homer to Walls. This is the fourth time this year that Santillan has pitched three consecutive games, and the second set this month. DIFFICULT OUTS While the Reds did not fill up the scoreboard, or even the box score on Shane Baz (8-7, 4.61), they made him work. He threw 100 pitches to get through five innings. Reds hitters were putting together the kind of at-bats that you would be proud to see in October. The Reds now welcome the Los Angeles Dodgers to town on Monday. Nick Lodolo will start for the Reds while the Dodgers have not yet named a starter. First pitch will be at at 7:10 PM.
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