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Bears
Bears DE Montez Sweat finished last season with just 5.5 sacks after signing a four-year, $98 million contract. Chicago GM Ryan Poles expressed confidence in Sweat, pointing out the edge rusher has been training tirelessly to improve.
“I don’t think there is anyone in this building working as hard as Montez Sweat right now,” Poles said, via BearsWire. “He’s pushing weight, he’s getting strong, he’s getting in shape. He’s locked in like I’ve never seen him before.”
Rams
Rams QB Matthew Stafford doesn’t foresee WR Puka Nacua‘s role changing following the departure of Cooper Kupp, and doesn’t think Nacua will stress about filling Kupp’s former stature as a team leader.
“On the field, I don’t see his role changing too much,” Stafford said, via ProFootballTalk. “I think he’s done a hell of a job when he is given opportunities to go out there and make plays. He’s been great in the pass game and in the run game. He’s a great locker room guy. We love having him around. Cooper was an unbelievable leader for our team for a long time and a great player for us as well, but I think everybody has to be their own person and Puka’s going to be himself. We love him for who he is. I’m just excited for his continued growth, both physically and all that on the field. Yeah, that’s great. As you get your feet wet in this league . . . this is year three for him. He’ll become more and more comfortable with what his routine is going to look like, what his role on our team is and how to go out there and compete in practice and in games. I’m just excited for him to have another solid year.”
Seahawks
Titans WR Tyler Lockett said he sacrificed a lot during his final year in Seattle and is excited to be in Tennessee.
“I understand the politics of the game, I understand sometimes there are so many things you need as a receiver to work out just for you to be able to get the ball,” he said, via Around The NFL. “But there is so much more that people don’t see that teams require and that teams need, which is the leadership role, or that selfless character, or different stuff like that. Sometimes it’s not about stats, but it’s about how you build each other up. So, for me, I sacrificed a lot of stuff last year (in Seattle) for the better of the team, and I just believe that is what you want to do in order to be able to try and help the team be at its best.”
More must-reads:
- Steelers receive massive Aaron Rodgers injury update ahead of Bears game
- Cowboys' Jerry Jones has made a decision about George Pickens
- The 'NFL QB rushing TD leaders' quiz
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Steelers work out two QBs amid Aaron Rodgers injury
With Aaron Rodgers dealing with a left wrist injury, the Pittsburgh Steelers worked out veteran quarterbacks Jason Bean and Tanner Mordecai on Tuesday, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. The Steelers currently have three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster and zero on their practice squad. Backup Mason Rudolph, and third-stringer Will Howard will both move up a spot on the depth chart for at least a week, leaving the Steelers without a third option should either of them get injured. Bean, 26, signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Kansas in 2024. He did not make the 53-man roster, but stuck around on the practice squad for the entire season. He was waived during final roster cuts this year and did not draw practice squad interest from the Colts or any other team. Mordecai is also a 26-year-old who entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie in 2024. Mordecai finished his college career at Wisconsin and signed with the 49ers last spring. He spent the season on San Francisco’s practice squad and was repeatedly cut and re-signed during training camp as the team balanced their other roster needs. He was waived due to injury a final time during roster cuts. The Steelers did not sign Bean or Mordecai, though that could be coming in the next few days as they continue to assess Rodgers’ wrist. They could also work out other available quarterbacks later this week.
CFP rankings: SEC in great shape after third reveal
The third College Football Playoff rankings of the 2025 season were released on Tuesday night with Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A M, Georgia and Texas Tech making up the top five. The Bulldogs and Red Raiders each move up one spot with Alabama falling down to 10th after a 23-21 loss to Oklahoma on Saturday. Ole Miss, Oregon, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Alabama round out the top 10. The Big Ten and SEC continue their dominance by claiming eight of the top-10 spots, but the SEC looks to be in the best position of any league with five teams in the top 10, even with Alabama's second loss of the season. Alabama clings to playoff spot as SEC's outlook only grows stronger Here is a look at what the 12-team bracket would look like as of Tuesday: The biggest takeaway from this week's rankings is the position the SEC finds itself in. Texas A M, Georgia and Ole Miss appear to be in excellent shape, while Oklahoma and Alabama still find themselves in the projected field. Texas was the biggest loser, falling seven spots to No. 17 after its loss to Georgia. Even for Alabama, which suffered its second loss on Saturday, it could still find itself in the SEC Championship game depending on how everything plays out over the final two weeks, which could only strengthen its case even more. Miami remains the highest-ranked ACC team at No. 13, ahead of No. 16 Georgia Tech and No. 19 Virginia. With the five highest-ranked conference champions guaranteed to make the 12-team field, Miami would inherit the 11-seed as things currently stand. Following South Florida's loss to Navy, Tulane moves up to No. 24 and the 12th-seed as the highest-ranked Group of Five team. No. 11 BYU would be the first team out following the third reveal. There are two ranked matchups this weekend as No. 8 Oklahoma hosts No. 22 Missouri and No. 15 USC takes on No. 7 Oregon. With only two weeks of regular-season play remaining, time is running out to add quality wins to resumes, something each of these two games will certainly do. Assuming there are no more hiccups, the SEC has a realistic shot at getting five teams in the field. Week 12 presented an opportunity for other teams to move up, but after Texas A M completed its remarkable comeback over South Carolina and with Alabama remaining in the top 10, that does not bode well for the rest of the field.
Youth movement: Five new players who should be part of Team USA basketball's future
A veteran-heavy USA Basketball squad took home a gold medal last summer in Paris. But their two biggest stars won't be returning. LeBron James and Steph Curry made it clear on the newest episode of "Mind The Game," James' podcast, that they wouldn't be part of Team USA in 2028. That leaves two big pairs of shoes to fill. In addition, the oft-injured Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis are unlikely to be back, Kevin Durant will be 39 in the summer of 2028, Jrue Holiday will be 38 and the national team will get younger. Here are five new players who should be part of Team USA going forward. 1. Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets There's always a spot on Team USA for a hard-nosed perimeter defender, and Amen Thompson is one of the toughest defenders in the NBA. He finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season and has upped his assists to 5.2 per game, making him the ideal player to slide into Holiday's stopper/ball handler role. Plus, Thompson is still only 22, which means he has plenty of international basketball ahead of him. And if Team USA needs another elite defender, he's got a connection with one on the Detroit Pistons — his brother Ausar Thompson. The only danger is if the Thompson twins decide to play for Jamaica instead. 2. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons Cade Cunningham, 24, has experience with USA Basketball, winning a gold medal in 2019 at the FIBA U19 championships and leading the USA Select team to scrimmage upsets against the 2023 FIBA Cup team. He only turned down joining the main team because he was recovering from shin surgery. Now he's firmly established as an NBA star, averaging 27.5 points and 9.9 assists for the first-place Detroit Pistons. Not only is he scoring an distributing the ball at an elite level, Cunningham has excellent size at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds for the more physical international game. 3. Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder Team USA needs a rim protector, and they'd love to have one who can stretch the floor like Chet Holmgren. The 23-year-old is shooting 40.4 percent from three-point range this season and 59.1 percent overall while anchoring the NBA's No. 1 defense. Holmgren may not be best suited to banging with some of the huge big men he'd face in the Olympics, like Nikola Jokic and Alperen Sengun, but the threat of his shooting can draw these big men out of the paint and create driving lanes. Plus, he has three years to bulk up before the Los Angeles Olympics. 4. Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers The reigning Defensive Player of the Year has turned into a legitimate three-point threat this season, sinking 1.7 threes per game, while remaining one of the NBA's best defenders. While Holmgren is more of a shot-blocker and rim protector, Evan Mobley, 24, has the speed and mobility to guard smaller players out on the perimeter, and the height and wingspan to bother big men. In addition, Mobley attended college at USC and high school in famed fight capital Temecula, so he'll be an excellent local choice. 5. Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder Jalen Williams, 24, is a bulldog defender who showed he can also be an elite big-game scorer during the Thunder's run to the title. Team USA plays best when they can pressure opposing teams defensively, and Williams has been great with that approach for OKC. Honorable mentions Cooper Flagg (18), Dallas Mavericks Stephon Castle (21) and Dylan Harper (19), San Antonio Spurs Kon Knueppel (20), Charlotte Hornets Darryn Peterson (18), Kansas Jayhawks
Why Orioles trading Grayson Rodriguez for Taylor Ward was a stunner
The Baltimore Orioles completed a stunner of a trade Tuesday night. Late in the evening, the Orioles announced they had dealt right-hander Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels for outfielder Taylor Ward. Baltimore has been searching for pitching help but, in this deal, gave up someone who not long ago was viewed as the future ace of the staff. Rodriguez, 26, was selected by the Orioles with the 11th overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft. The former top pitching prospect debuted in 2023 and has shown promise as a front-end arm when healthy, but he has not pitched in the majors since July 31, 2024. Across 43 career starts with Baltimore, Rodriguez went 20-8 with a 4.11 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 9.8 K/9 rate. He was diagnosed with elbow inflammation during this year’s spring training and, shortly after beginning his ramp-up in April, was diagnosed with a lat strain — the same injury that prematurely ended his 2024 season. In August, Rodriguez underwent elbow debridement surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow, ending his 2025 season with zero innings pitched. Orioles president Mike Elias had expected him to be ready for spring training and recently referred to him as a “wild card” on the staff. Ward, who turns 32 next month, is a free agent after the 2026 season. MLB Trade Rumors projects him to earn $13.7 million in his final year of arbitration, while the Angels will have Rodriguez under club control for four seasons. A nine-year veteran, Ward has spent his entire big-league career with the Angels. He is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he set career bests in doubles (31), home runs (36) and RBIs (103) while hitting .228 with a .792 OPS over a career-high 157 games. Ward fills the Orioles’ need for a consistent right-handed power bat to balance their lefty-heavy lineup. However, because of his 54th-percentile range in left field, the addition essentially locks Colton Cowser into center rather than his preferred corner spot in 2026. Read More: Orioles hiring ex-Nationals’ interim manager to coaching staff Baltimore’s outfield mix now consists of Ward, Cowser, Dylan Beavers, Tyler O’Neill, Heston Kjerstad, and Leody Taveras, who signed a one-year, $2 million deal earlier this month. Of that group, only Cowser and Taveras are viable options to play regularly in center. They also have prospect Enrique Bradfield Jr. (No. 4), a plus defender who is expected to start in Triple-A. The Orioles’ rotation is set to be headlined by Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish next season. They also have Dean Kremer, Tyler Wells, and Cade Povich, but with Rodriguez now out of the picture, Baltimore’s need for another top-end starter is even more pressing as the winter meetings approach.
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