Last season, Green Bay Packers wide receivers were among the league leaders in one of the worst categories of which to be atop: drops. Jayden Reed had nine drops and a drop percentage of 12.0%. Dontayvion Wicks also had nine drops and a drop percentage of 11.8%. Romeo Doubs, who played in four few games than both Reed and Wicks, had seven drops and a drop percentage of 9.7%.
Christian Watson, the Packers’ most sure-handed wide receiver (two drops and a 3.8% drop percentage), tore his ACL in Week 18 and [probably] will not be ready for the start of the 2025 season.
And while most fans and analysts believed that the team would address the wide receiver position in the 2025 NFL Draft, many were shocked when, for the first time since 2002, Green Bay used their first round pick on the position, taking Matthew Golden.
Additionally, the Packers used their third round pick on wide receiver Savion Williams.
Fans, of course, were ecstatic that the first round wide receiver drought had been broken in Green Bay. However, not long after the draft, it was reported that Drew Rosenhaus, who was just hired by Jayden Reed as his new agent, met with the Packers front office to discuss his client’s role going forward.
The report, made by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, stated, “Packers GM Brian Guteksunst met last week with Jayden Reed’s agent Drew Rosenahus to clarify the wide receiver’s status in Green Bay after the team drafted Matthew Golden and Savion Williams. The team said it will not affect Reed’s status as its top receiver, per source.”
When Kay Adams of “Up and Adams” asked Packers head coach Matt LaFleur about this meeting, he admitted that the news shocked him.
“Well, I gotta say, the first time I saw that, it was a surprise to me because he never once said a word to me. So, that’s all I can really speak on.
“But, certainly, you have communication with all of our guys. I tell them all the time, it’s about the collection of that whole room and what you’re going to bring to the table. And he’s a guy that’s had two years of a lot of production for us.
“So, my encouragement to him is, ‘Hey, you got to lead that room.’ Because he’s done a great job of that. He’s one of the guys out there, I mean shoot, the other day at practice… he’s coaching up Matthew Golden. So, he’s a guy I don’t worry about. He’s going to go out there, he’s going to compete, he’s going to compete at a high level, and he’s going to bring up everybody around him as well.”
After practice on Wednesday, Reed was asked about his agent’s meeting with the front office. His explanation of the discussion not only contradicted Schefter’s claim of the purpose of the meeting, but also explains why LaFleur was so shocked.
“A lot of people misinterpreted that,” Reed said. “I hired a new agent [Rosenhaus], and we talked about it before even the draft, really, that he said he was going to talk to the front office and everybody here to just catch up and make sure everybody’s on the same page. As a new client, he told me that’s the way he was going to do it, and he did it.
“Now, I don’t know how it got out, because it was supposed to be confidential. But that’s how it goes sometimes. People get a different perception; they make their own perception, which is OK. That’s how it goes sometimes.”
He also said that many players kind of had a feeling that the Packers were going to take a wide receiver in the first round, and that none of them were surprised by the pick. And instead of being dismayed by it, he insisted to reporters that he does not care if he only gets two targets or 10 receiving yards in a game as long as the team wins.
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Following his breakout year in 2023, George Pickens was expected to be the WR1 of the Pittsburgh Steelers for the foreseeable future. He had already justified the second-round draft capital that the franchise had initially invested in him, but there were growing concerns about Pickens’ lack of maturity. Fast forward to the 2025 offseason, and even though he’s managed to produce a career total of 2,841 receiving yards throughout his first three seasons in the league, the Steelers were willing to let him go in exchange for nothing more than a 2026 third-round pick and a minuscule value swap with the Dallas Cowboys. While the team has since managed to replace Pickens’ service with that of D.K. Metcalf, fans and analysts alike are still questioning the decision. Thankfully, the self-titled host of The Rich Eisen made the most of his recent discussion with the team’s general manager, Omar Khan, by directly asking him “Why did George Pickens have to go despite developing him?” “I’ll just say, as we went through the offseason and the process, it just became evident that, for both sides, a fresh start was the best thing,” Khan explained. “It just made sense for both of us.” Suffice to say, Khan’s answer, while not very insightful, does suggest that Pickens’ relationships with various Pittsburgh personnel had become fractured beyond repair. Whether it was the Steelers or Pickens himself who was responsible for things not working out does not matter anymore, as Khan’s brief statement brings the entire saga to a somewhat definitive end. For one reason or another, it was no longer in either side’s best interest to continue working together, and that’s that. Much like the rest of his interview with Eisen, Khan and the rest of the Steelers’ organization is now moving forward. When Eisen noted that Pittsburgh’s trade involving Minkah Fitzpatrick and Jalen Ramsey couldn’t have “happened over night,” Khan explained that it took “weeks” to finally get the deal done with the Miami Dolphins. Being sure to cover all of the high notes from the Steelers’ chaotic offseason, the seven-time Sports Emmy award nominee also inquired about T.J. Watt’s latest benchmark contract with the team. While he was unwilling to go into the “specifics of the numbers,” Khan did proclaim that, “I think it just reflects how we feel about him. It was important for me, and the organization, for T.J. to be a one-helmet Hall of Famer. It would be a great thing and hopefully there’s many, many more years to go with T.J., but it was just important. His numbers speak for themselves… As great of a player as he is, he’s an even better person.” At 6-foot-4 and 229-pounds, the aforementioned Metcalf is certainly capable of filling the Pickens-sized hole in Pittsburgh’s receiving core. Likewise, the addition of Ramsey along with their retaining of Watt will help to ensure that the defense is as stout as ever. The Steelers are going all in on the 2025 regular season with the hopes of discovering their first playoff win since January 15th of 2017 and it’s too late for them to turn back now. They’ll have to hope that they’ve made the right moves and prioritized the right signings. Otherwise they’ll risk wasting the final regular season of one of the most storied careers in all of NFL history.
According to some, throw out the idea that the Edmonton Oilers should pursue Max Pacioretty. A veteran forward who has earned over $63 million over the course of his NHL career has yet to sign an NHL contract and was recently mentioned in a post by David Staples as a possible fit. In a recent post, the Journal noted, “All of the top NHL unrestricted free agents have already signed contracts, but there’s one big name player still available that makes good sense for the Edmonton Oilers to pursue.” Responses have been varied, with a few quite vocal about the Oilers not following Staples’ advice. “In what world does this make sense?????” writes a commenter on a recent post for The Hockey Writers. Another commenter wrote, “Pacioretty is a good journeyman player but he is injury prone now, late in his career. Oilers might be lucky to get 40 games out of him. They should look elsewhere instead of taking a chance on Patches.” Tyler Yaremchuk of Oilers Nation chimed in and said, “He scored five goals in 37 games last year with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Can’t stay healthy, very old, very slow.” Yaremchuk then went on a rant, listing several Oilers forwards who would be better than Pacioretty. What About Pacioretty on a PTO? Is there any reason that a team that is looking to get younger and faster, and move out depth pieces that were older and less productive than expected, would revert back to last summer’s strategy? It seems like an odd choice on the surface. Something would have to happen that would make giving Pacioretty a look risk-free. That means only a PTO. Even at that point, should he agree, it would require him to be willing to sign a two-way contract for the league minimum.
The Phoenix Suns pursuit for Golden State Warriors wing Jonathan Kuminga is reaching its final stages. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Phoenix and Sacramento Kings have made “concrete” offers to the 22-year-old. Kuminga hasn’t received much interest in restricted free agency but could still make the jump from the Warriors to a different team next season. Charania on Suns interest with Kuminga: “I’m told the Phoenix Suns and the Sacramento Kings are two teams that have made concrete offers to the Warriors over the last week or so. They’re two of the most aggressive teams.” Reports have indicated that the Warriors want a first-round pick, a solid role player and no bad contracts. The Suns are lacking in first-round picks but have plenty of role players to offer in a sign-and-trade. Shooting guards Grayson Allen or Royce O’Neale would have to be a part of any trade with Kuminga because of the former lottery pick’s high asking price. Allen makes nearly $17 million, while O’Neale cost around $10 million. The duo are some of the most effective shooters in the NBA and would be a perfect player to play off ball of superstar Stephen Curry. Phoenix has a surplus at shooting guard and wouldn’t lose much positional depth with the departure of the two backcourt players. In 2024-2025, Kuminga averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists on 45.4% shooting from the field. The turmoil between the young wing and head coach Steven Kerr boiled over after limited playing time in the playoffs. The DNPs that Kuminga racked up in the playoffs likely has hurt the value of him in free agency and in the trade market, which could help Phoenix in its pursuit.
After years of speculation and nothing materializing, the New York Yankees have at last acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies, per the New York Post's Jon Heyman. Pitching prospects Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz are headed to the Mile High City in return. They were the number eight and 21st-ranked prospects in the Yankees' farm system, per MLB.com. Given the Yankees' struggles at the third-base position over the last few years, bringing in a guy who was an All-Star in 2024 and will be much more reliable is a win. Former MLB player and current analyst Cameron Maybin certainly believes that, as he was pushing the McMahon-to-New York narrative over the last week and feels it could be a great fit for both sides. "The third baseman they need plays in Colorado...I'm telling you! Defensively more than adequate and Taylor made for the ballpark offensively," Maybin wrote on social media. Maybin went on to mention how McMahon will feel reinvigorated joining a World Series contender like the Yankees after the last six-and-a-half years of being at the bottom in Colorado. The 30-year-old is not having his best season, slugging 16 home runs and 35 RBI with a .217 average through 100 games with the Rockies, per MLB.com stats. However, he's consistently been a 20-plus home run hitter who drives in runs at a strong rate and has a large sample size of doing so. Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez (.252 average, 36 HRs, 86 RBI) has seemed to be No. 1 target for most teams, and for good reason, but given the Yankees' current situation and weaknesses, McMahon made more sense. Not only does he play a better third base, which New York desperately needs, but he has another two years of control after 2025, whereas Suarez would have been a rental. The acquisition cost was nothing crazy, and adding a lefty bat with some power to potentially take advantage of the short porch at Yankee Stadium is always a bonus. Some may not be satisfied until they see McMahon positively impacting the New York Yankees, but rest assured, this is a very solid pickup.